Bound
by Harry50
Summary: Another soul-bond story with an unusual twist – good people. Dumbledore is manipulative but good and caring and the Weasleys are just as nice. There still are some bad guys, though, just for the balance. Rated M for adult themes. Most chapters are relatively short.
1. Chapter 1 Surprise

**A/N:** This is another soul-bond story with an unusual twist – good people. Dumbledore is manipulative but good and caring and the Weasleys are just as nice. There still are some bad guys, though, just for the balance.

**Warning:** Includes sex scenes between minors. Read at your own discretion.

**Disclaimer: **As usual – I claim no ownership of the Harry Potter world and its characters. I'm only here to play with it for my fun and yours. The rights are still belonging to J.K. Rowling and her business associates. I only own the few original characters added by me and the plot.

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**1. Surprise**

The feast in the Great Hall was running high with everybody celebrating the victory over the monster from the Chamber of Secrets. Harry joined Ron at the Gryffindor table and smiled weakly at him.

"How's Ginny?" he asked.

"She'll be fine. Madam Pomfrey gave her a calming potion and some food and then put her to bed. Even Mom was convinced to go home", Ron answered between mouthfuls of food.

Harry loaded his plate, filled his cup and drank some. He was putting his cup down when the doors of the great hall opened and Hermione stepped in. Her eyes scanned the tables and locked on Harry. She started running toward him, screaming "You solved it! You solved it!"

Harry stood up to greet his friend. Hermione almost knocked him off his feet and then hugged him tightly. "I knew you would solve it!" she said breathlessly.

Harry returned her hug. His eyes focused on her face, on her beaming smile and on her sparkling eyes, so full of confidence in him, and finally full of life again, after being petrified for too long a time. He only saw her face. Everything else seemed to be a blur at that moment. He felt as if Hermione and he were illuminated by a beam of sunlight while everybody else was in the shade. Warmth started spreading through his body, emanating from where they touched, but as the warmth reached his head he was suddenly attacked by a severe pain. The pain was so brutal that it knocked him unconscious. He could barely hear Hermione's frightened cry and another scream that followed, one of fury and despair, before he passed out.

Harry opened his eyes and groaned. He was once again in the hospital wing. He then felt a small hand holding his. He knew whose hand it was even without looking.

"How do you feel, Harry?" Hermione asked him.

He turned his head towards her, noticing that the headmaster and his head of house were behind her. "I think I'm fine. Why am I here now?"

"We hugged, and then you suddenly fainted and a scream was heard, I don't know whose. Your scar started bleeding as well, so professor McGonagall brought you here."

Harry touched his forehead. He could feel his scar, but it was not hurting at all, not even that tiny bit he had always felt, as if reminding him of its existence.

Madam Pomfrey approached his bed. She scanned his head with her wand and seemed satisfied with the results. "You seem to be alright now. I suggest you have a good night's sleep and everything will turn just fine in the morning."

Harry sat on the bed. His head didn't ache and he didn't feel dizzy, so he turned and tried to stand up. He still felt fine, but his bangs fell over his eyes. Without thinking, he moved his hand to brush his hair aside, freeing it from Hermione's.

He knew immediately that it was wrong. A cold dread swept over him and he reached for her hand as soon as he could. Once they touched, he felt better at once. He noticed that Hermione's expression also changed from distress to relief.

"Would you mind joining me at my office?" the headmaster suggested.

"Albus! They need to eat first. Ms. Granger has not eaten since she was petrified and I believe Mr. Potter would more than welcome a proper meal," professor McGonagall said.

"Don't worry, Minerva. I'll make sure they eat their fill before I bother them any further." He turned back to his pupils. "Would you please follow me?"

They followed him silently to his office, still holding hands. Dumbledore noticed, but didn't comment. Once they arrived, he conjured a dining table and two chairs. They moved the chairs closer without saying a word and sat down. Albus made the food appear on the table and let them eat, studying their behavior closely through half-closed eyelids.

"You are probably wondering why I brought you here," he said when they finished eating.

They both nodded.

"Do you know what happened in the great hall?"

Nobody answered. Dumbledore smiled. "It was something very few are privileged to see even once. I never thought I'll see it twice. It was, if I'm not mistaken, a soul bond."

Hermione opened her eyes wide with surprise while Harry looked confused.

"I see, Ms. Granger, that you already know what I'm talking about, or should I say Mrs. Potter?"

Harry groaned with surprise, but Hermione pressed his hand, calming him down.

Dumbledore smiled again. "Would you like to explain this, or would you prefer that I do it?"

Hermione switched into her lecture mode. "A soul bond is one of the strongest magical bonds, much stronger than the usual marriage bonds. Soul bound couples are considered married by wizarding laws."

"You mean we are married?" Harry asked in disbelief.

"If we are truly soul bound, then we are legally married," Hermione answered. Her expression changed at once, as her own words struck home. She looked terrified first, then calmed down and finally she grinned. "I believe I may like it," she added.

Dumbledore spoke again. "It seems like Mrs. Potter is right, as usual. A soul bond, especially one which happens spontaneously, is extremely rare and highly cherished. It makes the couple married by wizarding law, and in your case – it also emancipates you, giving you the full rights and obligations of adults. I've called you here in order to explain the situation to you as well as to try and understand why this has happened. I also expect you to receive letters from the ministry and from Gringotts confirming your bond. I didn't want you to open them near other students, causing more rumors."

The children were still holding hands, as they were doing since being at the hospital wing. They even managed to finish their meal without letting go of each other's hand – Albus considered it quite an achievement. "Can any of you tell me what happened in the great hall?"

The children looked at each other as if conversing silently, before Harry responded. "Hermione just hugged me, the way she does whenever we meet after a long separation. I then felt as if we were suddenly alone, but in a good way, and I felt warmth spreading from where we were touching. Once the warmth reached my forehead I suddenly felt an immense pain like I've never felt before and then I found myself in the hospital bed."

The headmaster thought for a brief moment. "Have you heard the scream?"

"Hermione's?"

"No, the other one."

"It was awful. Now that I think of it, it sounded like when Voldemort left Quirrel last year or when I stabbed the diary earlier today."

Albus looked pensive. "Very interesting..."

He noticed their hands once again. "Why do you keep holding hands?"

They both blushed. "I feel that I need to touch her, to know she's fine after being petrified for so long," Harry said.

"When I let his hand go, I felt as if I was becoming ill. I felt well again once I touched him," Hermione explained, averting her eyes.

The headmaster brushed his beard with his hand. "That adds some complications..."

He thought some more before speaking again. "Oh, well... I should have expected it at your age..."

"What do you mean, professor?" Hermione asked.

He smiled at her. "Most soul bonds happen when the couples are older and they usually involve... intimate contact between the two..."

"You mean sexual intercourse?"

"Yes, Mrs. Potter. That's exactly what I mean. Yet you both are too young for that to occur and the magic of the bond forces you to be close differently, so it seems."

"Will we need to touch for the foreseeable future?"

He smiled again. "I don't think so. Your bond only needs to complete. Once it completes, you will not need to touch much more than any other couple."

"Then, how long will it take?"

"That, unfortunately, I don't know. Hopefully it will only take a few days..."

"Days?! Then how are we supposed to shower or use the loo?" Her cheeks were reddening at the thought.

"I can't really tell you. I assume you'll have to find your own way, yet I don't think it will be a problem. After all, you will be sleeping together."

Hermione's face was now hot red, and even Harry started blushing. This made the headmaster chuckle.

"Married couples normally sleep together, you know..."

They were interrupted by two owls which flew through the open window, landing in front of the couple. Albus was fascinated at the coordination the youngsters needed in order to take the letters from the owls while still holding hands.

"It's from the ministry," Harry said, continuing to read the letter loudly, "_Dear Mr. Potter, we are glad to acknowledge your soul-bond with Mrs. Hermione Potter, nee Granger as of today at 20:12. We wish you both happy and fertile marriage. The department for personal status registration._"

"Mine reads the same," confirmed Hermione, blushing again at the implication of "fertile".

"Well, Mr. and Mrs. Potter, I believe we should find a nuptial apartment for you," Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling.

Hermione frowned. "Won't that attract unwanted attention?"

"Yes, you're right," the headmaster said. "I think we may need to give separate lodging to all involved with the Basilisk. That would not make you two stand out."

He went to the fireplace to floo-call his deputy. While he was busy, two more owls landed, carrying identical letters: "_Gringotts wizarding bank congratulates you, Lord and Lady Potter, for your soul-bond and for your emancipation. You are also invited to meet your account manager at your earliest convenience. May your enemies perish and your gold multiply, Senior account manager Crushbone._"

"Lord Potter?" Harry wondered aloud.

"Of course, Harry. You come from an old and noble family and being the only surviving member of the family makes you the head of this noble family, hence – Lord Potter."

"Well said, Lady Potter, although this makes me wonder where you have gained all this knowledge from," the headmaster commented, joining them. "Minerva will make sure your lodging is ready and I suggest you turn in for a good night's sleep. You may also consider wearing the bare minimum for bed, as it will assure more skin contact, helping the bond complete faster."

Harry and Hermione sat silently for another moment, not knowing what to say. They felt like they had millions of questions in their minds, but they weren't able to ask. They simply felt overwhelmed.

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	2. Chapter 2 Together

Just a small reminder: Harry is almost 13 at this time and Hermione approaches 14.

**2. Together**

They were eventually escorted to a large bedroom, sporting a king-sized four poster bed, quite similar to the ones in the dormitory, only much wider. Their trunks were already waiting at the foot of the bed. A door at the side wall led to a large bathroom, and the bath was already full of hot, soapy water. A house elf was waiting there. "Will master and mistress need any more services?" she asked.

Both shook their heads. "Just call Popsy whenever you need me," the elf said and disappeared.

Harry looked at Hermione questioningly. "Now what?"

"You practically stink, after all you've been through today. That bath is for you."

"But... I need to touch you."

"Well, you can be in the bath and still hold my hand."

"But... I'll be naked," he stuttered.

Hermione blushed for a moment. "You can stay in your underwear," she finally suggested.

Harry, still mortified by the situation, tried undressing using only one hand, being too embarrassed to ask for Hermione's help. This proved almost impossible. Hermione took pity on him. "Let me touch the side of your neck, so you'll have both hands free."

She put her free hand on the side of his neck before freeing the other. It was still awkward, but using both hands Harry undressed successfully, leaving only his boxer shorts on. He looked at Hermione who was fully clothed.

"Don't you think you may get quite wet if you stay close to me in the bathroom? You should only be lightly dressed, I believe."

Hermione blushed again before answering. "Fine, it will be like we wear swimsuits. Put your hand on my neck, just as I've done."

She undressed quickly, as if not daring to think of what she was doing, for fear of chickening out. She stayed in her white cotton bra and flowery full-size knickers. She then took his hand in hers, avoiding looking at him. "Let's set you in the bath," she said.

Harry slipped quickly into the bath, making sure the foaming water was hiding his crotch. Hermione rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Honestly, Harry, what do you think you're doing?"

Harry blushed. "Err..."

"You're trying to hide your erection, aren't you?"

He only nodded, not trusting his voice.

"For Merlin's sake, Harry! We're married now! We are supposed to see each other naked. Why do you need to hide?"

Harry blushed. He raised his eyes to Hermione only to hurriedly move them back to the water as he noticed how scantly she was dressed. "Well... I..."

"Harry! I know you're excited to see me almost naked and I've noticed your reaction. There's nothing you need to be ashamed of, really, and I won't get angry at you for that." Her words were dictated by her logic, yet her face was blooming red.

He looked back at her with relief and wonder in his eyes.

"I'm actually flattered," Hermione told him soothingly. "Your reaction means that you're honestly attracted to me." She blushed some more.

"Well, I am," Harry admitted. "I never knew you looked so... good." He had never been too eloquent, especially with compliments.

"Oh, thank you my dear husband," Hermione said teasingly. "Now, let me wash your back."

"I can do it alone," Harry protested. Hermione saw a bit of fear in his eyes.

"Nonsense! Nobody can really wash their backs thoroughly. We, girls, always help each other in the showers." Hermione took the sponge and moved into position, keeping one hand on his shoulder.

It was the first time she saw Harry's naked back and she was horrified. "Harry! Why do you have so many scars on your back?"

Harry seemed uncomfortable. "Well... my uncle... he gets angry... and..."

"He should be in jail! He has no right to treat anybody that way and certainly not you! Can't Madam Pomfrey heal these scars?"

"She can, but if he sees me healed by magic it will only make it worse."

Hermione was beyond furious. "You're not going back there! I'll do all that I can to prevent it. You'll spend the summer vacation with me and my parents." The thought brought a smile back to her face. "We shall have to stay close for awhile, so that's the best way."

Harry hoped that would actually happen, yet he wouldn't bet on it. His life had been too full of disappointments to get his hopes higher.

Hermione finished treating Harry's back. He enjoyed her hands roaming his back in tender, loving motions. She even massaged his shoulders a bit, noticing how tight his muscles were. This was something he could easily get accustomed to.

"Now I'm almost as wet as you are. I could just as well go into the bath." Hermione followed her words with action. She pushed Harry aside and plopped into the bath, leaning on the other side and facing him. She noticed Harry's stare as his face turned red again.

"Eh... your bra... is almost transparent."

She looked down. The white cotton had absorbed enough water to make her bra see-through. Her nipples were pushing the thin material, through which her pink aureolas were clearly visible against the lighter surrounding. She would have been terrified of the thought that any boy would see her like that even just an hour earlier. Now it felt right somehow. Now she felt her clothing was actually in the way. She briefly wondered if it was a side effect of the bond.

"Well, if you've already seen it all then I can just as well take the bra off." She was actually wondering why she felt so confident, yet she removed her bra quicker than Harry could follow, letting it fall on the floor at the side of the bathtub.

She now looked at her knickers. Their material was thinner, and the flowery imprint was too pale to make a difference. She noticed that it didn't really hide anything now. Without a second thought, her knickers joined her bra on the floor.

The bubbles had almost disappeared by then, leaving mostly clear water. She could easily see the tenting in Harry's shorts. She couldn't see through them, though, being dark blue in color.

"Now that I'm completely naked, don't you think it fair if you remove your shorts as well?" she asked Harry. He didn't seem to hear her, gazing at her body in admiration.

"Would you rather I remove your boxers?" she asked him again. This time it seemed to reach him.

"No!" he sounded alarmed. "I mean... I can do it myself." It took him a bit longer to undress. He was too excited and his erection also got in the way. Hermione didn't really know what to expect, yet what she eventually saw looked pleasing. It didn't look like the drawings in her parents' medical books, neither did it fit the stories she had overheard some older girls tell in the bathroom, but it somehow seemed right for Harry.

"Would you wash my back now?" Hermione asked, turning around.

Harry didn't reply. He just took the sponge and used it to caress her back tenderly. She started giggling. "Harry, you're tickling me. You can rub a bit harder, you know."

By the time they got out of the bath, almost an hour later, all awkwardness at their nudity had disappeared. They felt as comfortable with each other as when they were fully clothed. Well, except for Harry's erection. "It won't stay like that all the time, will it?" Hermione asked.

Harry blushed. "I hope so. It usually softens after awhile, but with you naked..."

"Does it hurt?" she was concerned.

Harry smiled. "Not really."

Hermione thought for a moment. "We are married now, so we could legally have sex. Yet I'd like to wait at least until we tell my parents." She could see that thinking of sex was quite unhelpful at the moment. "Maybe I should ask Professor Snape for a contraceptive potion, though," she added, looking at him expectantly.

"Oh, NO! I don't want Snape to know anything about our life. He already knows too much." She noticed that thinking of Snape had a certain calming effect.

Once dry, she only wore a clean pair of knickers while Harry put on some shorts which looked almost twice the right size. "Don't you have something more fitting?" she asked.

"My relatives only give me hand-me-downs from mu cousin, who is much larger than me," Harry said, looking embarrassed.

"We shall have to buy you new clothes as soon as school is over!" Hermione said with determination in her voice.

They went to bed, both too tired to even talk anymore. She turned on her side in a semi-fetal position and Harry spooned to her back, his hand touching her side lightly. She could hear his breathing slowing down. "You know, It's quite nice to fall asleep being hugged," she noted quietly.

"It's even nicer to fall asleep hugging you, my love."

She didn't respond. She just cherished the last two words and fell asleep with them.

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	3. Chapter 3 Thoughts

This is a relatively short chapter. I'm sorry, but I found nothing that fit in to make it longer. Most chapters are not as short, though.

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**3. Thoughts**

Albus was sitting at his table, contemplating the day's events. He felt bad for not identifying the attacks for what they were – Basilisk sightings. He should have known better; he should have acted more decisively. Being so occupied with his other positions was no excuse for neglecting his role as headmaster, for not doing his best to put an end to the attacks as fast as possible. Luckily there was no death this time. It was all thanks to Harry, actually. Had he not acted on time, Miss Weasley would have been dead and Voldemort would have gained body and power. He dreaded thinking what that might have evolved into.

Harry... That boy had now created a new problem for him. Albus had worked for years tweaking his plans to perfection. He'd been working on those plans ever since that dreadful Halloween night, when he found out who the prophecy was talking about. Sadly, this meant letting Harry suffer, but it was all for The Greater Good, or so it seemed. Now, a single hug made all his plans crumble.

His first thought had been, 'I must intervene, I must stop that.' Luckily he hadn't. There were too many people around and he couldn't act fast enough. By the time they were shrouded in a golden mist it was too late to change it, and he was still too far. Then he heard that blood-freezing scream, as a black cloud seemed to be expelled from within the golden mist and vanish. He wasn't sure what it meant at the time, yet it seemed important.

Then Harry collapsed and fell to the floor, dragging Hermione with him. He could see her panic first, just as he would have expected a girl her age to react. Then her face changed to show determination, much more than he could think such a young girl could muster. Before he even reached the couple, Hermione had already run her hands around the boy, checking for wounds or bruises, finding nothing except bleeding from Harry's famous scar. He should have recognized that bleeding as a sign, yet he had failed again. Albus wondered if his age was starting to affect his judgment.

Thinking of it now, especially with Harry's confirmation of the scream, it was almost too evident: Voldemort, as he had always suspected, had created some Horcruxes and Harry had been inadvertently one of them. Well, no more. The bond, based on love, had banished that piece of Voldemort soul which had been anchored in the scar since that fateful night. Voldemort couldn't stand love, yet Harry was flooded with love now. There should be a way to harness that love for getting rid of Voldemort once and for all.

'Yet I should first find and destroy any additional Horcruxes. If any remains – the dark lord will eventually return, no matter who kills him. I should make it my highest priority,' Albus thought. He took a parchment out of his drawer and wrote a reminder for himself, just to be on the safe side.

Thinking of what should be done brought his thoughts back to Harry. 'According to the prophecy, which should still be kept secret, he is the only one capable of finishing the dark lord for good. Yet the boy will need a lot of training. He will need a competent DADA professor,' unlike the previous two, who showed that the old headmaster was no longer in full control of his school. 'How could I be so stupid and choose any of them?' he thought.

He mentally went over a list of all the candidates he could think of for the job. One person stood apart. He was talented, smart and serious. He had proved his worth more than once. Yet there was a problem with him. Albus hoped he could persuade the governors to accept that man.

His thoughts returned to Harry and Hermione. 'I hope they become comfortable with each other.' He wasn't sure how long they may need to stay in constant physical contact. He hoped they would not need it by the end of the summer vacation. It would be difficult to hide their special relations if they were holding hands the whole time, although, after being separated for so long due to Hermione's petrification, it might not look too out of place.

That reminded him of the coming summer vacation. The new couple needed to stay together, no doubt of it. That ruled the Dursleys out. No matter how important he deemed the wards, the Dursleys would not accept another "freak" into their house and certainly not let a girl sleep with Harry, no matter how innocent it was. That only left the Grangers.

He sighed. They didn't know even of their daughter's petrification yet. Minerva had informed them that Hermione's hands were paralyzed due to some magical illness but she would be fine before the vacation. This was close enough to the truth but less worrisome. Now he had to tell them that their thirteen years old daughter was actually married and that they had to let her sleep with her husband. He wasn't sure he was up to the task. 'How would I have reacted had I been in their position?" he wondered.

A knock on the door brought him out of his reveries. "Ah, Minerva. Do come in!"

She also looked tired, but still fierce. "Albus, what are you going to do about the Potters' vacation?"

"It would be best if they could spend at least some of it with the Dursleys..."

"Albus! You know that cannot be allowed. You should have not left him there in the first place, as I've told you repeatedly, and you are **NOT** going to place Mrs. Potter in that hell-house!"

"I still believe he would benefit the protection..."

Another freezing glance stopped him in mid sentence.

"Well, that was only wishful thinking. As they're emancipated now, I'm not even sure that the blood wards are of use anymore. Will you be so kind to inform the Grangers that their daughter is bringing a friend to stay with her during the vacation? I'll visit them soon after the kids arrive to make them understand all the implications."

She looked at him as if judging his true intentions before agreeing reluctantly. "I'll send it in the morning. No need to bother them late in the night."

"Of course, Minerva. Have you placed the others in private rooms as well?"

"I did. Some complained, though. They wanted to be with their friends."

"Oh, well. At least the Potters will not be singled out."

Minerva looked skeptic. "Does it really matter? Everybody saw that golden haze and heard the scream. Their bond is registered with the ministry. It's just a matter of days, at most, before everybody knows."

Albus frowned. He knew she was right although he wished she wasn't. As much as he hoped to protect the young couple, to let the two get gradually accustomed to their new situation, that would not be possible, so it seemed. "Were the Potters satisfied with their room?" he asked, trying to change the subject.

"Mrs. Potter was glad to see the book on different kinds of bonds waiting on the table."

"I don't think it would be wise to call her by that name. We should make sure she is called Ms. Granger for the time being."

Minerva smiled sadly at Albus's efforts to protect the youngsters. She was sure it was in vain.

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	4. Chapter 4 Gringotts

**4. Gringotts**

The rest of the week was uneventful. As Hermione had been absent so long, it seemed quite natural for her to spend so much time with her closest friends – Harry and Ron. Ron was oblivious to the change of relationship between his two friends, yet Hermione tried to hold Ron's hand as much as she could when in public so nobody would read any special meaning to her holding Harry's hand.

Harry's absence from his dormitory had been explained by him being observed for any belated effects of his encounter with the Basilisk. The trio even spent some time in Harry's quarters, as they called it. Hermione's trunk had been hidden and a duplicate placed in her previous dormitory. Her dorm-mates didn't seem to mind her absence. They already knew that she had always stayed by Harry when he stayed in the Hospital Wing, and this seemed quite similar.

It was only during the weekend that the headmaster could find time to take the young couple to Gringotts. He wanted their visit there to be discrete, so he Floo'ed them directly to the bank, skipping the stroll through Diagon Alley, which was sure to bring them attention.

Like most Saturday mornings, there were very few customers at the bank. None seemed to pay attention to the small group. Dumbledore quickly led the youngsters to a side door, where a goblin guard stopped them. "Lord and Lady Potter", Dumbledore told him. The guard moved aside and directed them to a nearby room.

The room was quite bare. It only housed a long conference table with several chairs around it. The marble walls were glistening, but not otherwise decorated. A goblin was already waiting there, looking quite grumpy. "Let's start," he said as soon as they were seated.

The goblin broke the seal of a rolled parchment and started reading the will:

"_This is the last will of Jame__s __P__otter and Lilly Potter nee Evans written on the 28th of October, 1981. This is one of three identical copies we are sending to Gringotts for safekeeping. One is to be put in our personal vault, another in Sirius's vault and the third will be taken by Sirius to the ministry."_ He continued reading some standard legalese before reaching the will proper:

"_We first like to inform that our secret keeper is Peter Pettigrew. If we are dead, this means that he betrayed us. We wish to emphasize that Sirius Black has never been our secret keeper, although we originally considered him for the position. He planned to present himself as such to attract attention away from the real secret keeper."_

Dumbledore paled considerably hearing this. "So he's innocent..." he whispered into his beard. Harry didn't notice, but Hermione did.

"_In case one of us dies first, we hereby will all our worldly possessions to our spouses. If we both die, then our son, Harry, is to inherit everything that we own, including the title of Lord Potter and the seat at the Wizengamot. At the age of eleven or at the reading of this will, whichever comes last, he is to be emancipated and to assume his role as Lord Potter. Later, if the circumstances are right, he is to become Head of the House of Potter, accepting all that the title entails._

_If we are both dead, then Harry is to be raised by his guardian. We hereby assign this role to his godfather, __Sirius Black__. Do marry a nice lady to help you raise Harry, Sirius. You know_ _who we have in mind._

_If the assigned guardian cannot accept the role, then it should be assigned to Harry's godmother, Mrs. Alice Longbottom, and if that's impossible - to Amelia Bones or Minerva McGonagall in that order. In no case should Harry be placed with my sister Petunia Dursley and her husband._

_Harry, once you get access to our vault you'll find a letter for you. Read it alone or with your wife, but not in front of others._

_This concludes the will of James and Lilly Potter."_

Harry was still too excited to say anything, but Dumbledore asked "Can you give me a copy of this will. This is extremely important for correcting injustice done to someone."

The goblin moved his arm above the parchment, making an exact copy appear with the words "Certified Gringotts Copy" stamped on it. He handed the copy to Dumbledore, who turned towards the couple.

"Harry, this will made me discover some grave mistakes I did unknowingly. It is of utmost importance that I try to correct at least one as soon as possible. I trust you and your lady can continue without me for now. The goblins will help you out to muggle London, once you're done here. Make sure to take some money with you, as well as enough muggle money to do some shopping. Please refrain from going into Diagon Alley. I'll collect you at half past five at The Leaky Cauldron."

Harry nodded and the headmaster took his leave.

The goblin suddenly looked less grumpy. He even seemed to be almost friendly, which confused the children.

"How come this will has not been read until now?" Hermione asked.

"I assure you, Lady Potter, this was not due to any negligence or ill will on the part of Gringotts," the goblin said. "Once the former Lord Potter died, his vault was magically sealed and could not be opened until his heir was emancipated or became of age. Nobody seemed to know of the other copies until today."

"May we see my parent's vault?" Harry asked.

"Sure, Lord Potter. It's your vault now."

Hermione couldn't refrain from asking. "You act nicely with us, but you were quite rude while Professor Dumbledore was present. Why?"

Harry was afraid this may offend the goblin, but their companion just smiled – quite a frightening sight all by itself. "We don't like most of the wizards. They treat us like scum, so that's how we treat them. The Potters have always been nice to us so we are nice to them."

They reached the vault riding the carts. Hermione was almost sick by then, yet Harry seemed to hardly notice his environment. They stood in front of a large, heavy door. The goblin touched one point and then the outline of a hand started glowing on the door. "Put your hand on the marked place in order to open the vault," the goblin instructed Harry.

Once he did, the door opened, letting him and Hermione in while the goblin stood guard at the door.

Harry looked around. The vault was large, much larger than the whole Dursley house and certainly not as tidy. Rows of shelves filled most of its area, holding almost everything imaginable: scrolls, books, jewels, weapons, armors, jars, bottles and many unidentified objects – probably magical artifacts. A large chest stood at the wall nearest to the door. Harry saw a large envelope on it and a few small boxes. A picture depicting a young couple was hung on the wall over it. While Hermione's enthusiasm was piqued by the books, Harry's eyes were drawn to the painting.

Looking closer, he noticed that the woman's belly was swollen with advanced pregnancy and the man was holding his hand protectively over it while hugging her with the other. They looked familiar, yet different. "Mom, Dad?" he whispered, attracting their attention as well as Hermione's.

"Welcome, son," the painted man said. "I'm glad to see you. How old are you now?"

"I'm twelve; almost thirteen, actually."

"You've grown so much... I wish I could be there for you." It was the woman's voice.

"Who's the girl you're holding hands with?"

Harry felt proud presenting her. "This is Hermione, my best friend and my soul mate."

"Soul mate?!" both painted parents said.

"Well, we only bonded a few days ago," Hermione said in a small voice.

"Aren't you a bit young for that?" Lilly asked.

Hermione blushed deeply while Harry answered. "We have done nothing wrong, really. After I killed the Basilisk and Hermione was released from her petrification she came and hugged me, and then it happened."

"Basilisk? Petrification? I think we need some more explanations. Do sit down."

A loveseat appeared behind the children while the painted two sat down on a bench painted behind them. Hermione took a deep breath, looked at Harry for a moment, and then started her story. "You see, there were some attacks on muggle-born students this year. They were petrified and nobody seemed to find the cause. Harry had heard some noises which he said were coming from a large snake who was probably hiding within the walls. Then I searched in the library and discovered that the Basilisk was a large serpent who could kill with his glance, only those affected didn't look directly at him so they were just petrified. I took that page from the book to show Harry but I encountered that Basilisk on my way and was petrified. Harry found that page in my hand and killed the Basilisk at the same day that the potion to unpetrify the victims was finally ready. I hugged him when we met, and then we were suddenly engulfed in light and a golden haze appeared. Then the headmaster told us we were soul bound and were married."

James looked stunned. "You fought a Basilisk and lived to tell it?"

"I couldn't have done it without Fawkes' help, though," Harry mumbled.

"Why didn't you tell a professor? You knew it was extremely dangerous," Lilly scolded him.

"We, I mean Ron and I, had to save Ginny, his sister. We asked our DADA professor for help, but he was a coward and only tried to run away. Luckily, Ron's wand backfired on him when he tried to oblivate us."

They spent some time retelling Harry's adventures at Hogwarts. His parents were furious of the events yet proud of how their son had handled them, along with his bond-mate.

"Harry, you should now read our letter and then take the rings waiting near it and wear yours, giving your wife the other," James told his son. "You may visit the Potter Head of House vault at another time."

Harry did as requested. The letter included a walk-through of all the Potter wealth, as well as a brief explanation of the family traditions and pointers to the appropriate books, all of them stored in the vault. "_You must know that while you are __the Potter heir this doesn't automatically give you the status of Head of House. To gain that status you must marry either a muggle or a muggle-born witch or, at most, a half-blood witch. If you marry a pureblood you will not be eligible for that status, although your heir may be, if he sticks to the rule."_

"Well, I don't have to worry about that," Harry told his wife with a smile. He still found it incredible that this marvelous girl whom he loved dearly was now his wife. He never expected to be married so young. He never actually thought about it before, yet now it was comforting, thinking of Hermione as his.

He then took the rings and put one on his finger and the other on Hermione's. Both rings flashed once when put on their fingers, before adjusting to their size. "You are now Officially Lord and Lady Potter, Heads of the Ancient and Noble house of Potter," painted James declared, while painted Lilly just wiped her tears.

Their grumbling stomachs reminded the children that lunchtime had arrived. They took their leave from the portraits, promising to come back soon and headed out. The goblin made sure they had enough muggle money with them before escorting them through a hidden passage to Muggle London.

Standing in the street among other people made them both aware of how inappropriate Harry's clothes were. "We'll grab a quick lunch and then buy you some clothes. I want my parents' first impression of you not to be clouded by these rags," Hermione told him in her no-nonsense voice. He had to agree.

It didn't turn out too bad, though. After eating lunch at one of the fast food restaurants, Harry actually enjoyed trying different outfits and choosing his own clothes, as well as buying a few for his wife. For a few hours they were just young teens enjoying shopping. Harry even allowed himself some Ice-Cream, while Hermione only took plain water. This couldn't last, though. At five o'clock they started their way back to The Leaky Cauldron, reaching there with just a minute to spare.

The headmaster wasn't there, but Tom, the innkeeper, greeted them. "Welcome Miss Granger, Mr. Potter. Your headmaster called in to say he would be late and you should wait here in a private room for him." He promptly led them to a private dining room, hidden from the other guests. "I was also ordered to serve you dinner," he added. "Would you like anything special?"

They didn't know what to say. "Just the regular," Harry suggested.

It wasn't easy for Albus to do what he intended doing. It wasn't something that would help his public image nor would it impress anybody with his wit or wisdom, but it was the right thing to do and the only honorable act he could contemplate.

He went to the ministry as soon as he left the bank and went directly to the head of the DMLE. He didn't even bother to knock.

"Amelia, I've got some new information. I now believe Sirius is innocent."

She could hear the urgency in his voice. "What is it?" she asked in her no-nonsense tone.

Albus gave her the Potters' will. "When he was caught, mumbling that he was responsible, I was sure he betrayed them. Now it seems I was wrong."

Amelia frowned. "It should have come out during his trial, I believe."

He sighed. "There was no trial. Based on his so-called confession, he was sent to Azkaban. I'm ashamed to say I was the one recommending this and the minister signed it."

"There's still the question of Peter and the muggles. He may be innocent concerning the Potters, but this document does nothing to clear him of the other charges."

Dumbledore sighed. "I thought you were his friend..."

"I was, and if he's innocent then I hope we shall be friends again, but I could **not** consider a murderer my friend."

"Well, I believe he should be brought here and given a chance to clear his name. I'm sure he won't object to being interrogated under Veritaserum or to giving his memories of the event to be viewed by others. That should make it clear if he's innocent or not."

Amelia sighed. "I wish I thought of it myself when I became the head of the DMLE, yet my previous association with him stood in my way..." She contemplated the situation. "You should now fill the forms for accepting this new evidence and for bringing him to trial. Once this is done, I'll have Sirius brought here and restart the investigation."

"Thanks, Amelia. I know this is just as important to you. Let's hope it had really been a grave mistake so we'll have a chance to put it right."

When Dumbledore arrived to The Leaky Cauldron, several hours later, he found both children asleep with their heads resting on the table and their hands clutching each other tightly. He was reluctant to wake them up, but there was no way he could bring them back otherwise.

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	5. Chapter 5 Starting Vacation

**5. Starting Vacation**

As Harry and Hermione entered the Great Hall the next morning, all eyes turned towards them. Lavender BrownParvati Patil was the first to speak, even before they sat at the table. "How wonderful! How romantic! You should have told me, though. I just knew you two will wind up together, but I never thought it would be so soon!"

At the surprised look on their faces, she shoved the newspaper in Harry's hand. The Sunday Prophet brought the news. A picture of their hug, engulfed in golden haze, was on the front page, while another – holding hands at the Leaky Cauldron – decorated the short and surprisingly neutral article:

"_While tending to my business at Gringotts, I noticed Harry Potter and his girlfriend, accompanied by the headmaster, rushing to a side door. As the guard asked for their purpose, I heard the kids presented as Lord and Lady Potter._

_Intrigued, I started investigating. A short visit to the ministry came out with the confirmation: Harry Potter and his friend Hermione Granger are truly married by a spontaneous soul bond which occurred in front of the whole school._

_While some may frown upon Lady Potter being a muggleborn, there's really nothing to suggest any foul play. Miss Granger has been unpetrified merely minutes before this bond occurred and she was clearly chosen by magic itself to be our hero's soul mate._

_Congratulation to the young couple. May you live long and happy lives."_

Most reactions, although not as enthusiastic, were positive. The Slytherins were the exception, not unexpectedly, yet Ron and Ginny seemed a bit hurt.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Ron asked between bites.

"We didn't understand it ourselves," Harry told him. "One doesn't expect to get married at twelve, you know."

"'course not, yet it's cool! You'll get your private dormitory and be able to sleep together..." It then struck him. "You already do, don't you?"

Harry noticed Hermione's discomfort at hearing Ron. "We sleep in the same room, but we're not rushing things. We're still children as far as her parents are concerned, you know."

"Sure, right," Ron said, turning back to his main interest in life – food.

Ginny only looked at them with some sadness in her eyes. Harry knew she had harbored a childhood crush on him. He only hoped she would grow up and leave that behind.

The train ride was uneventful. They spent most of the ride with Ron, Neville and Ginny, who seemed to recover nicely of her ordeal and also accept the new relationship between Harry and Hermione. The twins came to visit them during the ride and, to everybody's relief, Draco didn't pay them a visit.

Hermione and Harry said goodbye to Neville, Ron, Ginny, Fred and George before going through the barrier. They didn't escape a great hug from Molly Weasley, though.

Harry was quite apprehensive at meeting the Grangers, despite Hermione's encouraging words. He had never been welcomed by family before and had no reason to expect any better.

Some reporters were trying to interview Harry as he was walking towards the barrier, but Harry just ignored them, mainly because he was more concerned with the imminent meeting and also as he was unsure about what he should say. They seemed to ignore Hermione, which was just fine as far as she was concerned.

The Grangers were waiting, as expected. They hugged Hermione tightly, making it evident that they loved her and missed her. It was clear where Hermione learned her hugs. They then turned their attention to him. "So, you must be Harry, the boy who's starring in all her letters," her father said as he took Harry's hand to shake it. Harry noticed Hermione blushing.

"Pleased to meet you, sir," he answered formally.

"You may just call me Dave. We're not formal at home or anywhere else for that matter."

"May I greet our guest now?" her mother said, pushing Dave playfully aside.

"Hello, I'm Jean," she said, shaking his hand. "Welcome to our family. I hope you'll feel at home with us."

Harry wasn't sure he would like feeling at home, remembering the place where he grew up, but he said nothing.

Dave took care of their luggage. "You have a beautiful owl," he commented.

Hedwig seemed to puff out at the compliment.

They reached Dave's car – an expensive BMW which would have made Uncle Vernon green with envy – and Dave put their trunks into the luggage compartment, letting the children take care of their pets. As they all settled into their seats to get ready for the road, Jean bent her head towards Dave, whispering in his ear "Have you noticed their hands?"

Dave frowned, not being sure what he had missed. "They hold hands constantly," his wife explained before straightening up and buckling her seat belt.

She continued glancing at her daughter and her beau, as she came to think of the boy, throughout the long drive home. She noticed them speaking softly with each other and looking silently in each other's eyes, as if still communicating. They didn't let go of their partner's hand even once, although she remembered Hermione hugging her with both hands when they met.

Dave took the children's luggage in, putting Hermione's trunk in her room and Harry's in the guest room. "Hermione dear, why won't you show your friend to the guest room?" Jean suggested.

Hermione looked up, surprised and somewhat worried. "Didn't professor McGonagall tell you?"

"What do you mean? She told us you were bringing Harry to stay with us for the vacation. Was there anything else?"

Hermione blushed. "Well, you see... Harry has to sleep with me." She said the last word hurriedly, as if not daring to think of their meaning.

Jean didn't expect such an answer, not for a few more years, at least. "Aren't you a bit young for that, young lady?"

Hermione turned even redder. "It's not... well... not what you think. We have to touch each other most of the time or we get ill. It should become better after a while, but we don't know how long it would take." She saw her mother's brows rise. "Professor Dumbledore promised to explain this to you in a better way."

Jean was thinking fast, considering all the times her daughter might need privacy. "How long can you stay separated?"

"At first it was merely seconds. We can now separate for a few minutes at most."

"Then, how do you take a bath?"

Hermione didn't look at her mother. "We take bath together, we shower together and we even use the loo together most of the time."

"Do you..." Jean was not sure how to phrase her question.

"We didn't have sex, if that's what you wanted to ask," Hermione said.

Jean noticed both kids turning red. This subject seemed to make them uncomfortable.

"When does your professor intend to visit?" she asked.

"He said he would come this evening or the next, but Professor McGonagall told us he sometimes gets too busy and he may not be able to come as early as he intended."

Jean didn't like the implications. "Let's hope he comes on time, though. Now, make Harry acquainted with our house. It's going to be his home for most of this vacation."

Hermione led Harry up the stairs, just as Dave was coming down, smiling at them.

She first went to her room. Harry seemed relieved that it wasn't too "girly". Its walls were painted light pink and the light fixtures were also pink, but the rest was quite neutral: three book cabinets, a wardrobe, a large desk and two chairs – all made of oak; a large bed with two nightstands – all in white; the window had sky-blue curtains and the bed cover was of similar color. What caught his eyes most was the number of books. He was sure that none of the Dursleys had ever seen so many books. He felt quite sure that Hermione had already read them all. Probably more than once.

"Do you like it?"

"Yes. It reminds me of you. You're a girl, yet you pay more attention to your mind and your manners than to your looks, and this room shows it."

"Don't you like how it looks?" Hermione sounded offended.

"I like it, just as I like your looks, only it's not the most important aspect of this room... or of you."

"We can redecorate it, if you like." Hermione seemed eager to make him comfortable.

"Not now, anyway. We shall have to see what's best for us as our bond finalizes."

He could feel that Hermione liked his response. Actually, he was starting to know what she was feeling most of the time. He didn't even have to look at her. He wondered if this was part of the bond or just being so close to Hermione most of the time.

"Let's bring your trunk here and then put everything in place!" Hermione practically dragged him to the guest room. Harry wanted to carry his trunk, but Hermione stopped him. "We are allowed to use magic now," she reminded him, pulling her wand. "Wingardium Leviosa", she said with a flick and a swish, making the trunk rise. She directed it to her room and let it settle besides her own. She opened her trunk and used her wand to direct each object to its right place. Her clothes went into her wardrobe, her books onto the book shelves and her other school items were neatly arranged on her desk.

"Your turn now," she told Harry.

"I don't know where to put my clothes," he admitted, "especially since most of them are unfit for use."

"Let's put the ones we just bough into the wardrobe, along with mine. We can discard your old hand-me-down clothes. Nobody will want them. I'm sure we can buy you more clothes before we leave for France."

"We leave for France?"

"Harry! Didn't you listen when I told you about my parents' plans for this summer?"

Harry looked ashamed. "I was too busy admiring your lips and your chest. I'm sorry."

Hermione felt her cheeks heat. She liked having that effect on her bond mate, although it sometimes unnerved her. "Well, we're going to France for two weeks, starting three weeks from now."

"But... that must cost a lot. I can't expect your parents to pay for me."

"Harry, they don't mind, and then – you have enough to pay for it if they ever accept."

"**We** have enough. Whatever I own is rightfully yours as well, you know."

Hermione blushed. "I'm still unused to thinking that way. I've never intended to get married before twenty; probably not before twenty-five either."

"Do you regret it?" Harry sounded somewhat hurt.

"No, I could never regret bonding with you." This brought a smile on Harry's face. "I just need some time to get used to it. You know that even going to the loo has now become a complex maneuver."

They were interrupted when Jean called them down for dinner. Harry noticed that Dave was glancing at him with a thoughtful look but didn't know why. Otherwise, dinner was quite pleasant. The Grangers didn't talk much while eating, but all talking between courses was jovial and friendly. Jean even urged Harry to eat some more, as she thought he was too thin.

They moved to the living room after dinner. The large TV set was muted and none but Harry paid it any attention, as Hermione was trying to explain once more about the bond's effects, without actually saying it was equivalent to marriage. Both her parents had many questions and she found them quite difficult to answer.

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	6. Chapter 6 Ministry

**AN: **As this chapter is very short, I'm publishing it along with the next. Enjoy!

**6. Ministry**

The headmaster looked through the window of his office. He saw the scarlet train leaving the station, the empty Thestral driven carriages return and Mr. Filch closing the gates. This term was officially over. Now he had to switch roles and handle another long due problem. He sighed heavily as he walked to his fireplace. A few minutes later he was already in Madam Bones' office.

"Is he here?"

"For two days already. He's been too weak for interrogation, but we had a healer check him all over and give him some potions. He was also given a proper bath and allowed several proper meals. He still looks sickly and fragile, but much better than he looked when he arrived here."

"Have you spoken with him?"

Amelia looked unsure. "I don't think it's advisable. I've watched him under invisibility cloak, though, and was present when he was interrogated."

"Well?"

"He declines having killed anybody. He said he confronted Peter but it was Peter who blasted the street and then disappeared in his animagus form."

"Animagus?"

"Peter is an unregistered rat animagus. He could easily disappear into the sewers and be gone."

"And the finger?"

"He doesn't remember anything about the finger."

Albus sighed again. He thought he was sighing too much lately. "Have his memories been tapped?"

"Not yet. I was hoping you would do it for us. It's too important to let any junior do it."

An auror escorted him to Sirius's cell. Albus was frightened by how changed the man looked. His once athletic body seemed to be merely skin and bones now; his hair was now matted and his eyes, which had once been full of life and mirth, were now blank, looking less lively than a shop mannequin's. Sirius was gazing blankly at the ceiling and didn't bother to move as Albus came in and sat on the bed near him.

They sat in silence for a while. Dumbledore was becoming unsure if Sirius was still in his right mind, when he suddenly heard him speak. "You should have known better..."

This startled the old wizard. "What do you mean?"

"You knew how close I was with James. You knew I considered him my brother in everything but blood. How could you believe I would betray him of all people?"

Albus sighed again. This was lying heavily on his heart and in his mind. He was wondering the same, actually. "Yes, I should have known better. I can only say that at those dark days, when it seemed like there was nobody trustworthy, even this kind of betrayal didn't look impossible anymore. You were the obvious secret keeper, so..."

"So – you assumed the worst, never giving me the chance to redeem myself."

Albus wanted to reject the accusation, but he couldn't. "I'm sorry. I should have known better. I should have acted more wisely, but I didn't. Would you ever be able to forgive this old man for his misjudgment?"

Sirius moved his head for the first time and looked at Albus. "Keeping a grudge will not bring these years back nor help me reform my relations with my godson. Just help me out of this so I can return to my life and I'll forgive you."

His words made the old man happier. "Fine. I'll need your cooperation to speed up your redemption. I need your memories of the confrontation you had with Peter before your arrest. Can you bring them forward so I can collect them?"

Sirius concentrated for a moment and then nodded. Albus put his wand to Sirius's temple, extracting a silvery substance which he put into a vial and corked it. "This will be viewed by the Wizengamot as evidence during your trial. Is there any other memory which you deem important to your case?"

Sirius shook his head. He seemed to have lost his talkativeness during his years in prison.

Albus was almost done here. "There's one more thing I'd like to know. How did Peter become the secret keeper?"

Sirius smiled bitterly. "James really wanted me to be, but I thought I was too obvious as a secret keeper. I suggested to James that he chose Peter instead. This made me responsible..." He seems to fall into reminiscing, but he shook his head once and continued. "You set James as temporary secret keeper, as none of us was able to be present at the time, and you told him how to pass the role to another. Then you gave me, Remus and Peter the notes written by James to let us know the secret. When I visited James a few days later, he told me he had already passed the role to Peter per your instructions. Remus was furious to hear that. He said something smelled off with the rat, but he couldn't put his finger on it. You already know the rest."

It took Dumbledore another hour to view the retrieved memory. He found the missing finger in there as well – it was all part of Peter's plot to escape. There could be no doubt about the memory's truthfulness, yet it had to be viewed several times by the auror team to make sure all details were accounted for. The tired headmaster only took solace in the fact that this was not only for "The Greater Good", which didn't seem so grand right then, but mainly for getting an innocent man free.

He had not told Sirius anything about Harry and Sirius didn't ask, maybe he didn't feel confident about his redemption yet, but Albus knew that it would be difficult for him to tell, almost as difficult as going to the Grangers to tell them of the soul bond.

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	7. Chapter 7 About Harry

**7. About Harry**

The door bell rang, saving Hermione from another difficult question. Dave let Dumbledore in while Jean offered him some refreshments, which he accepted thankfully. He sipped his tea and ate his biscuit slowly, before starting to talk.

"I believe you are all waiting for an explanation," he noted. "Let me start from the beginning of this school year." He told the Grangers about what happened at Hogwarts up to Hermione's petrification.

"You should have informed us!" they told him.

"Maybe, but there was nothing you could do for her at the time and I didn't want you to worry. There was nothing to be done until the mandrake potion was ready."

They didn't seem too convinced, but let him continue.

"Harry used to spend many hours at her bed, talking to her, holding her petrified hand or just looking at her. Madam Pomfrey, our healer, had to kick him out more than once, and yet she found him at her side many mornings. It turned out that Hermione had really found out what had caused these events. Harry found a piece of paper clutched in her hand with the details. Then, when looking for me to handle that information, a girl, Ron's sister, was kidnapped by the same monster. They went to rescue her. A cave-in separated them and Harry went alone. He fought a giant serpent who could kill by looking at you and defeated it, killing it with a sword and rescuing the girl."

The Grangers were looking at the skinny boy with new respect.

"Hermione was revived a few hours later and came to seek her friends. As she hugged Harry they were suddenly engulfed in a glowing golden haze. I've only seen that once before."

"What does it mean?"

"This is normally the visible manifestation of soul bonding. It's a rare phenomena where the souls of two people are bound together to become practically one. There's no known precedent for this happening at such a young age."

"Is that a problem?"

Dumbledore shook his head. "It's not really a problem, but I'm not sure you'll like the implications. When the bond is forged at an older age, it is usually during or after the couple being intimate. That intimacy is needed for the bond to complete. In this case, there has been no prior intimacy of this kind, nor since, as far as I can tell. The bond forces them to be close to each other and to be in physical contact. Separating them for more than a few minutes at this stage may be extremely harmful or even fatal."

Both Grangers blanched at hearing this.

"You'll need to let them sleep together, preferably with minimum clothing to maximize the area of contact. This should pose no problem though, as soul bound couples are considered married."

"**What?!" **both parent gasped.

Albus sighed internally. This was the part he dreaded most, yet there was nobody who could explain this better. "There are many kinds of magical bonds. Some are natural, like the bond between mother and child; others are created by ceremonies or rituals. The marriage bond is the most evident of these. Yet there are much stronger bonds, created by Magic itself. Soul bonds are the strongest of these. Unlike normal marriages, which can be dissolved by a simple ritual, soul bonds cannot be undone by any known means. We can't be sure, but many believe these bonds continue even in the afterlife."

"So, our thirteen years old daughter is married for life and beyond? How could this happen?" Dave didn't sound very happy, to say the least.

Albus felt a bit better explaining this. "Nobody knows exactly, but love has a major role in it. As I've already told you, Harry has been very close to Hermione since last year. His actions when she has been petrified would have been classed as deep love, has he been a bit older. Evidently, Hermione also loves him deeply. Their hug after her revival and his battle seems to have released the magic of the bond."

The youngsters were already hiding their yawns. Jean thought this was a good time to send them to bed, so they could discuss the situation in terms inappropriate for younger ears.

"Goodnight, professor," they said before going upstairs to get ready for the night.

Two weeks after they bonded, the evening ritual was already natural for the two. They stripped to their pants, brushed their teeth (Hermione insisted on this from the first night and Harry couldn't argue her reasoning) and went to bed, hugging each other. Harry couldn't believe how comforting it was, hugging her peacefully, and how addicted he had become to her, an addiction he never wanted to break. Hermione just snuggled into her mate. She knew they were soon going to be even closer, but right now she was very content with what she had.

The adults waited until they heard the bedroom door close before resuming their conversation. "Do you mean they need to have sex?" Jean asked Dumbledore.

"Eventually – yes. Just keep in mind that they are a married couple," he added hurriedly as he saw Dave's face starting to show anger. "I believe you want to have grandchildren sometime, so sex is a necessity. I also think that as soon as they complete their bond or 'consummate their marriage', as some say, they won't need to touch each other so much. It should eventually be just like any loving couple – they would still like to be close and physical with each other, but they would easily stand a separation of a few days or even longer."

"So, you're basically telling us that in order to be able to separate, they first need to unite physically?"

"Precisely. I was hoping that by finishing this stage before the start of next term, they could avoid media attention. Unfortunately, that can't be helped now."

"What do you mean? Why should the media be interested in them?"

Albus sighed. Any wizarding family would have known, but these were muggles. Oh, well...

"Let me tell you a bit about Harry. There was a great war among wizards at the time he was born. A self-proclaimed Dark Lord was rising and nobody seemed to be able to stop him. Very few even tried. Harry's parents, along with a few others, tried to fight the dark lord and stop him. They survived three confrontations with him. Then at Halloween, he found their hiding place and came to kill them. He tried to kill Harry as well, but something unexplainable happened: the curse bounced back, destroying the dark lord, giving Harry only a scar. He is now famous for defeating the dark lord and for being the only known person to survive the killing curse."

"Oh, the poor child," Jean moaned.

"So **that** made him famous? He was just a baby at the time, wasn't he?" asked Dave.

"Yes, he was just one year old. With both his parents dead, he was sent to his only known relatives, his mother's sister and her husband, where he was raised in muggle environment."

"Well, at least there was somebody to love him," Jean commented.

"Not really," Albus admitted. "They considered his magic an abnormality and treated him as a freak. He didn't have a happy childhood, but he was protected, at least."

"What do you mean by 'protected'?" Dave asked.

"Even though the dark lord was defeated, his followers were still free. Some took their revenge on others who fought against them. Some of these even managed to escape trial and are quite influential in the current government."

"That's preposterous!"

"I would have used a stronger word, alas, this can't be helped now. Harry still needs protection, and if he's going to live with you then I need to put some wards around your house."

Dave frowned. "What do you mean by 'wards'?"

"Wards are a kind of magical barriers. They may block everybody from passing them or just some, depending on the exact ward and the way it is set. What I have in mind is some intent-based wards. These would let anybody through as long as they have no ill intentions towards any of the inhabitants. These can stop any normal weapon and most magical curses as well. They would also give you excellent protection from thieves and burglars as side benefits. I'll cast some wards as soon as we finish here and I'll be back in a few more days to cast additional, more powerful wards that should be able to withstand almost anything."

Dave was still contemplating the situation, but Albus was already pushing forward. "There's another subject – your planned vacation in France."

"What about it?"

"Harry will have to come along."

Dave looked surprised, but Jean commented "Of course he will. They still need to be together. Won't his guardians want to see him, though?"

"I doubt they'll mind, as long as they don't need to care for him."

"We could shoulder the expenses," commented Dave, "especially since they're going to share a room." His expression showed that he didn't really like the idea.

"I don't think there should be any problem about it, and then – I'm sure Harry would like to pay his share."

"How can he pay? He's just a child, even if he's married now."

Dumbledore smiled now. "Harry may only be a child, but he is Lord Potter, the only heir of the Most Ancient and Noble house of Potter. He may still be unaware of it, but he owns a few palaces, some lucrative businesses and shares in many others. He's probably paying the salary for more magical families than any other and quite many muggle families as well. As his wife, Hermione has access to all of it, and knowing Harry, he probably considers her as owning everything in common."

The Grangers looked at him with utter surprise. "You mean they are now millionaires?"

"Closer to Billionaires, I believe. I won't be surprised if he asks your advice on managing his businesses."

With so much information to digest, the Grangers went silent. They accompanied the old wizard to their backyard and watched him cast some very complex spells, turning their house into a virtual fortress without altering its appearance at all. Soon after, they went to bed, still trying to comprehend the complexities that they were now facing.

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	8. Chapter 8 The Talk

**8. The Talk**

The children woke up fully refreshed. So much so, in fact, that they spent half an hour in tickle-fight, before getting dressed and joining Dave and Jean at the morning table. The adults were quite confused seeing the reddened faces and the giggles when the kids looked at each other, but feared asking anything, not sure they could handle the answers.

There was one question they needed an answer to, regardless. "How long can you stay apart without being affected?" Dave asked.

"About ten minutes, I think. Maybe a bit longer – it seems to become longer each day," Hermione responded. "Why do you ask?"

"Your mother would like to talk privately with you, I believe," he answered, somewhat evasively.

"I have no secrets from Harry," his daughter said.

"There are some things I feel uncomfortable talking near him, darling," Jean said, "Nothing really secret..."

"Let's leave the ladies alone," Dave suggested as soon as they finished breakfast.

Harry hugged his wife once more before he followed Dave out, quite reluctantly.

They sat on a bench in the backyard.

"Well, son, what do you know about girls?" Dave started.

Harry's face changed colors rapidly. "Not much, really. My uncle and my aunt didn't teach me anything and my previous school didn't offer any lessons on the subject. Hogwarts doesn't seem to have any such lessons either."

"So, all you know is just what you overheard in the showers. Am I right?"

Harry only nodded.

"There's nothing to be ashamed of, Harry. I don't think I knew anything at your age either. I'm sure you already know more than your age-mates just by being so close with Hermione for a fortnight."

Harry turned even redder.

"Yet, you are really in a unique position. As a boy, nobody expects you to know much on the subject, but as a married man – well, that's a different story."

"You must know that I love and respect Hermione and would do nothing to offend her," Harry said protectively.

Dave smiled at him reassuringly. "I already know that. I know from Hermione's letters how good a friend you are, and then your bond, as we were told, also assures that you consider her well-being most important. I only want to make sure none of you is harmed due to lack of knowledge."

The expectant look in Harry's eyes was enough.

Dave started explaining about the birds and the bees, just as his father had done many years beforehand. He then went into some details about human anatomy, which made them both blush, and then continued with the contraceptive measures.

"There are magical means which work much better," Harry told him. "Madam Pomfrey – our healer – gave Hermione a bottle of contraceptive potion, to be taken each morning, and then we were also taught the contraceptive charms, which prevent fertilization for twelve hours since casting. Any of these should suffice."

"Well, I hope so. No matter when you'll start... being intimate, I'm still not ready to be a grandfather."

"I assure you that I'm even less ready to be a father, although I'd like to have a family in the future."

Dave noticed that Harry was paling quickly and was also becoming fidgety, yet there was one thing he needed to tell the boy before they returned. "I'm sure Hermione will give you a book to read before you start... having sex; probably more than one..."

Harry chuckled. Dave knew his daughter well...

"Please read the books thoroughly, even if you find some chapters embarrassing or boring. I'm sure she'll be more than ready to help you understand and you can always ask me or even Jean. Will you promise me to do it?"

"I promise to read everything Hermione deems necessary and to ask for your help if I need it."

They were walking back to the kitchen when Harry asked: "Would you like to help me understand my bank statement?"

Dave thought for a moment. "We may discuss it along with the ladies," he said, as they were going into the kitchen.

Hermione went to Harry immediately, hugging him tightly and then holding his hand. Although he had not been aware of it before, her hug felt reviving and invigorating, as if he lacked some energy and she brought it back to him. He smiled at her thankfully, noticing she was smiling at him similarly.

"We need to go to our clinic for a few hours," Jean told them. "The weather seems to be warm so you may use the pool meanwhile. We shall be back for lunch. Do behave until then."

"I don't have a swimsuit," Harry said, feeling inadequate.

"You don't need one. Hermione will explain," Jean told him. Both parents hugged Hermione and then hugged Harry, surprising him very much, before going to work.

"What has your mother talked with you about?" Harry asked once they were alone.

Hermione blushed. "She wanted to make sure that I knew how to deal with boys; specifically a certain green-eyed boy. She... told me about contraceptives..."

"Your Dad spoke to me about the same things, only he elaborated about how things work. In out bodies, I mean..."

Hermione snorted. "I'm sure you would have understood better from a book. He probably blushed profusely as well, didn't he?"

"He was utterly red when he finished," Harry smiled at her.

The weather was nice, but still cool so early in the morning. "I think we should do something else until the air gets warmer and then use the pool," Hermione suggested.

"What do you have in mind?"

"I thought you may like to learn some more about the female body, with no stuttered explanations and no blushing, for a change."

Once they reached their room, Hermione found a booklet and gave Harry to read. "I got it before I finished the muggle school. They use to give every girl such booklet as preparation for her first period."

"Period?" Harry wondered.

"Just read it. You'll get all your answers there."

Harry sat on the couch. Hermione took another book and snuggled into his side.

The booklet was very clear and fully illustrated. The drawings made him blush, yet some of the text really frightened him.

"Do you really bleed every few weeks?" he asked her.

"It's every fourth week only and yes, I do bleed some," she said, rolling her eyes.

"But... It could kill you if you bleed so much."

"It's not that bad. Most girls bleed no more than half a cup total during their period. One normally drinks much more during a week, so it's not a big deal."

"Does it hurt?" Harry sounded still very concerned.

"Sometimes. It doesn't normally hurt much, but it makes me more nervous and agitated. You could tell just by watching my moods, really."

Now that he thought of that, he could really see some kind of pattern in her moods.

"And you have to suffer until you are old?"

"It's not really suffering, you know, and it ceases while one's pregnant or lactating..."

Harry was blushing again at the sound of these words.

"...but this keeps on repeatedly as long as a woman is fertile."

Harry looked at her with some unshed tears in his eyes. "I don't want you to suffer. Can't we do something to prevent it?"

She caressed his face. "I could just fall in love with you seeing how much you care..."

She then replied seriously. "There are medicines and potions that prevent most of the suffering, and the famous anti-pregnancy pill can prevent the bleeding for longer times, although it isn't recommended. And then – I'm probably quite lucky, as I don't feel any pains normally. I just have to be ready, or I'll stain my clothes or my sheets with blood. Actually, I'm due in a few days, if my petrification didn't change that. I should start taking precautions."

She noted Harry's expression getting sombre at thinking of what he had read.

"I believe it's already warm enough outside. Let's go to the pool!" she said, grabbing his hand.

"Now, what about the pool?"

"Oh... It's just a small pool, not much larger than the bath in our nuptial apartment," she blushed again saying it. "It's nice for cooling off once in a while when sun-bathing, but not big enough for really swimming."

"And the swimsuits?"

Hermione's blush deepened. "We usually bath nude in here. None of the neighbors can see us and we don't get tan-lines."

'Uncle Vernon wouldn't have approved of this,' Harry thought.

"Why wouldn't he?" Hermione asked.

Harry felt uneasy. Had he said it out loud?

"I didn't say anything," he protested.

"You only thought it, I know, but our bond makes us able to sense each-other in ways nobody else can. Haven't you noticed that you know how I feel even if you don't see me? We were also able to understand each other without talking even before we bonded."

It only took a moment for Harry to realize it was true. Could they actually communicate that way?

'Yes, we can. It may not be very efficient right now, but it will improve as we complete our bond.'

Harry was amazed hearing Hermione in his mind.

As they walked to the backyard, Harry tried to sense Hermione's thoughts. He wasn't really sure about it, but he managed to sense some embarrassment concerning the conversation she had just had with her Mum and then some excitement about practicing all that they had been talking about.

"Do you really want to practice it?" he asked.

"Yes, as soon as we feel ready. As a married couple, we are actually expected to... shag."

Harry noticed that using the "dirty" word excited her, but she wasn't ready yet. He didn't feel ready either.

They didn't even notice when they took their clothes off, but as they settled near the pool they were totally naked already. Hermione gave Harry a bottle of sun lotion. "Can you spread some over my back and my shoulders?"

She stretched on the sun-bed, turning her back to him, and Harry enjoyed caressing her smooth skin while spreading the lotion on her body. It was somewhat like washing her back during bath, but the slippery lotion and the sunlight gave it a very different feeling. He liked it.

Hermione returned the favor soon. Harry enjoyed feeling her hands moving along his back and his shoulders. He was then surprised feeling another part of her touching his back – her soft breasts with their erect nipples were casually touching him as Hermione bent over him to reach the other side. It gave him an exhilarating feeling. He was too preoccupied to notice that she did it on purpose.

They spent the rest of the morning there. By the time Jean arrived home, she could see them lying side by side, holding hands and talking softly. She couldn't understand what they were saying even standing close to them and she wondered why.

"Hello, mind if I join you?" she said.

"Oh, hi, Mum; I didn't hear you coming."

"Hi, Mrs. G... Jean," Harry said, changing his wording when seeing her frown.

"Hi, Harry. Do you like it here?" Jean asked him while starting to undress.

"Well, yes. It's nice and quiet and..." He got stuck seeing her removing her bra, freeing her breasts. She looked at him with a kind smile.

"Is there a problem?" she asked.

"No... It's just... Well... I've never seen any naked woman, except for Hermione, only she's not really a woman yet," Harry replied, blushing once again. Not only was he suddenly aware of the soon to be naked woman at his side, he was painfully aware of his own nakedness as well.

"Then it's just as well that you see one. There will be many naked people at the beach when we go to France, you know."

"Don't they wear swimsuits?"

"In some places they do, but we normally choose the ones where we don't need to bother with such nonsense."

Harry was getting redder by the moment. While Jean was certainly a good looking woman and was quite shapely, he didn't really see her in a sexual way, like he did with Hermione; He was more embarrassed at being seen naked and quite afraid he would not be up to her standards on whatever she may see. Jean seemed to be unaware of his discomfort. She finished undressing and took a short plunge in the pool.

"Now I feel refreshed," she said when coming back to the youngsters. "Would you mind rubbing some sun-lotion into my back, Harry?" she asked as she stretched herself, face down, on the sun-bed.

Harry was so occupied, making sure to do a good job on his mother-in-law, that he failed to notice the amused glances exchanged between her and her daughter. They both seemed to like him a lot, though quite differently.

His embarrassment didn't last long. Dave returned home soon after, joining the rest of the family just as naked. Although Harry was smaller, being not yet thirteen years old, he could see that he didn't lack in comparison. Quidditch had built him a nice body and the multitude of stairs had helped shape his legs, as well as Hermione's. Even his masculinity didn't seem to lack in comparison, considering his age.

"Shall we go shopping after lunch?" Dave suggested. "It looks like you could benefit from a few more clothes, especially ones fit for a seaside vacation."

"Well... I don't mind, as long as you let me pay," Harry replied.

"Nonsense! It is my pleasure to make my girl happy, and I believe that buying you clothes would make her very happy."

"Maybe we should also visit Gringotts?" Hermione suggested.

"We can do that as well," Dave agreed.

They left home soon after lunch. Dave drove to central London, where they parked the car and continued by foot. At Hermione's insistence they started with a visit to the bank. Both teens were wearing hats that shaded their faces and hid Harry's scar, thus escaping the public attention. They were greeted by the goblins as soon as they entered the bank.

"Welcome, Lord and Lady Potter. How can Gringotts be of help for you today?"

Dave raised a brow. This kind of attention when visiting a bank was usually reserved for only the richest clients.

"I'd like my parents-in-law to learn a bit about my assets, so they could help me manage them," Harry responded. "Can you help us?"

"Just follow me."

They were escorted into a very elegant side room, where a conference table of polished marble was standing, surrounded by upholstered chairs. "Your account manager will join you here in a moment," the goblin said before leaving them alone.

Dave only exchanged glances with his wife. It looked like the old wizard was right about Harry's fortunes, as unbelievable as it sounded.

Another goblin, more richly dressed, joined them very soon. Harry recognized him as the one who had read the will. "Good afternoon, mister..." he didn't know the name to complete his greeting.

"It's just Crushbone, Lord Potter, with no 'Mister' or other honorific. And good afternoon to you and your entourage as well."

Crushbone sat on a chair and put the heavy dossier he was carrying on the table. "I understand that you want a walk-through of your assets. Am I correct?"

"Well, yes... But only the highlights." Harry looked worriedly at the dossier. "I don't think we have the time to go through all the documents in there."

The goblin chuckled. "You've already read a report of your assets, haven't you?"

"It was immediately after having heard my parents' will. I'm not sure I remember much of it," Harry confessed.

"Fine. Here we go..."

It took them almost an hour just to read the list of the most important belongings, each with the annual income or expenses that it generated. Dave felt dizzy. Most numbers were just too big. He could not earn in a lifetime such sums as were transferred through Harry's account each month. Jean just gaped at them. They didn't even register that the sums were stated in Galleons, making the amount in pounds much larger.

"Can you prepare a condensed document, such as is normally called 'executive summary' for us? We can't help Harry before we come to terms with what he owns," Dave asked Crushbone after they finished.

"It will be done, but we may need a day or two to complete it. Would you like it to be sent to you when ready? We have our special delivery owls for that."

Dave only nodded.

"Harry, I want to take a quick glance at Flourish and Blotts. Can you wait for me here with my parents?" Hermione asked as soon as they finished.

She returned in less than ten minutes, carrying a rectangular package, covered in brown paper. "I'll show you at home," she replied Harry's unasked question.

They left the bank through the secret exit directly into muggle London. Jean chose a large store where they started fitting Harry with various clothing. Harry felt like a shop-window mannequin, but he couldn't really complain, seeing Hermione's happy smiles. He even liked most of what she had chosen for him. He noticed that Jean left them for awhile and then returned, carrying another pack of books, he assumed.

Hermione enjoyed finding a swimsuit for Harry. She discovered she could see through his eyes when she wanted and she just looked at him in the mirror when he was changing, making them both blush.

"I believe you also need a new Bikini and some underwear," Dave said to his daughter. "You seem to have outgrown those we bought you last summer."

It was now Harry's turn to check Hermione in the mirror through her own eyes. He may have not mastered the technique very well, but he enjoyed this part of their shopping spree much more.

They finished their visit in London with a nice dinner at a restaurant near Piccadilly Circus before returning tired and happy back home.

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	9. Chapter 9 Learning

AN: Once again I have a short chapter, so I upload it and the next together, as together, thay are about the same size as the previous chapter.

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**9. Learning**

Harry woke up to the sight of Hermione opening the brown paper covered packages and removing some books from them, arranging them neatly on the desk. She was peeking at the covers and occasionally flipping through the pages before deciding where to put them. Harry was sure that she had used some shrinking charm on the books. There was no chance for so many books fitting in those two packs they brought home the previous evening.

Harry could only chuckle at the sight: a large pile of books, all dedicated to man-woman relations. Some had quite explicit titles like "Better Sex", or "How to Satisfy Your Wife in Bed", while others were more general like "The Secrets to Long-Term Love". There were even two anatomy textbooks there, ones targeted at university first-year medicine students.

"Do I need to read all these?" he asked Hermione. "We may be an old couple by the time I finish."

She rolled her eyes at his lame joke. "No, Harry. I'll show you exactly which parts I want you to read. We both have no experience in such things, and if we have to... shag this summer, we'd better know how to do it right."

"Are these as frightening as that booklet you made me read?" This was no longer a joke. Harry was really concerned.

"I won't let you read anything before I check it myself, OK? Yet that booklet was not so bad. You really should have known most of it from home, and then – I'm soon going to have my period and I didn't want you to freak out."

Harry wasn't sure it really helped. He was still seeing Hermione covered with blood all over, as he imagined when reading that booklet. It was so frightening! He could stand being severely injured, but he could not stand Hermione suffering even just a tad.

"You're so sweet!" Hermione said, bending down to kiss the tip of his nose. "It's going to be alright, but I like the way you think of me."

Soon after breakfast they found a comfortable position on the couch. Harry was reading selected chapters from a book that Hermione had already read the previous summer, while she started reading some of the books they had bought the previous day, snuggling at his side. The gloomy weather with some rain expected later during the day kept them inside, and Harry was surprised to find the book both interesting and entertaining, not to mention highly arousing. Hermione's furtive caresses, while extremely pleasant, didn't really help with that last issue.

By dinner time he had finished reading that book. He was surprised at having read so much in a single day, yet his eyes were already sore and so was his backside, after sitting so long without moving.

"I think you two should take a walk outside while I prepare dinner," Jean suggested. "Some exercise would do you good, and the weather is much nicer now."

The walk in the fresh air did help. They walked hand-in-hand, attracting some amused glances and creating a new gossip subject for the neighborhood. They didn't talk much. Each was thinking of what they had read, sharing their thoughts with the other. Harry was amazed at how much Hermione knew already, failing to notice that this knowledge was now becoming his as well. He immersed himself in her mind, enjoying her little triumphs as she had learned reading, found the joy of books and knowledge, had her first bouts of accidental magic and enjoyed the love of her family.

Hermione was also trying to find some joy in Harry's memories and failing at it. She could find no joy in all those ten years he had spent with the Dursleys. Not even success at school could bring him any joy, as getting better grades than Dudley was only cause for punishment. She vowed to herself that she would make Harry happy and joyful as much as she could.

She started by asking him about what he had read, making him blush and giggle several times. By the time they sat for dinner, Harry was in much better mood than she had ever seen him. They spent the rest of the evening watching entertainment programs on TV, something that she knew her husband had not had many chances watching while living with his aunt.

They were already in bed when Harry said: "I've read that girls also masturbate. Have you ever?"

Hermione blushed. "Not much, really. I started shortly before I was petrified. Do you?"

She could feel his skin getting warmer as he blushed as well. "I did... occasionally."

Hermione got bolder as her inquisitive side took hold. "What were you thinking about while doing it?"

"I was thinking..." He didn't say any more, but she sensed 'about being with you.'

"I was thinking about you when I did it," she confessed. "Do you..."

He heard her in his mind. 'Do you want to? I've never seen anybody masturbate.'

Harry removed his boxers shyly, revealing his erect member. This was no news for Hermione, as she had already seen it that way almost every time they took a shower. He then sat down and started stroking, quite aware of her inquisitive stare. She wasn't satisfied with watching only. Her knickers found their way to the floor and she started touching herself while keeping her eyes on Harry.

Harry was fascinated seeing her that way. The lust he saw on her face and sensed through their bond was a new sensation for him, making him more horny as well. "May I touch?" he asked reluctantly.

"You're welcome," she said, guiding his fingers to her sensitive spot and urging him to rub and caress the bundle of nerves.

She didn't even ask. Her hand reached to his member, caressing it tenderly and eliciting a moan from him. They were soon masturbating each-other vigorously. Hermione reached her first peak and was on the verge of the second when Harry groaned loudly as he came, covering her hand with thick whitish liquid.

They were still breathing heavily a few minutes later, but Hermione was recovering. She reached for her wand and cleaned them both of the residues of their activity, making sure that the bed and the floor were also clean. Without a word said, they went to bed. Harry was still on his back and Hermione put her head on his shoulder and pressed her breasts to his side. Seconds later they were both asleep.

Harry woke up feeling alone. He mentally searched for Hermione, finding her in the bathroom. 'Are you OK?' he asked.

'I'm fine. Go to sleep. I'll be back in a moment.'

Hermione was the first to wake up in the morning. Harry's arm served as a very comfortable pillow for her and his other hand was hugging her close to him, making their chests touch. She relished the feeling, remembering their occupation before falling asleep. She blushed lightly. It was still exciting to be so close to this boy – her man. While asleep he looked so young and so vulnerable that her heart went out to him. She caressed his scar lightly, continuing towards his jaw-bone, then his chest. She looked down at his flaccid member, mentally comparing it to the way she had seen it just hours before. She knew what she wanted to do with it, but it was not the right time yet.

'Good morning, my love,' she sensed, before turning her eyes back to his face.

"Good morning, Harry. Slept well?"

"Wonderfully! And you? Why did you get out of bed in the middle of the night?"

She blushed again. She mentally slapped herself for that. It was her soul-mate, the closest person to her for the rest of her life; she should not be embarrassed talking with him about no matter what, and yet...

"I've got my period. I had to clean the bed and use a sanitary pad. I'm sorry it woke you up."

Harry paled. "Your period?" He noticed that she was wearing another pair of knickers, much thicker than the others he had seen her wear and a bit larger, though quite tight.

"I'll show you later," Hermione said cheerfully. "I'm starving. Put something on and let's go for brakfast."

The following days were spent reading the new books and also doing some of their summer homework. With Hermione at his side, Harry didn't mind his homework at all and didn't feel the passage of time. Even her period seemed less frightening now, after having seen that it affected mainly her moods and not her health. Yet reading so much about the relations between the genders, including some very detailed lists of "do's" and "dont's", was setting his mind more and more on what he would like to do with Hermione when the time came and to feel more and more anxious and ready for that event.

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	10. Chapter 10 Guardians

**10. Guardians**

"I believe we should talk with your relatives before going to France," Jean told Harry.

"Why? You know we're already emancipated, so I don't need a guardian anymore."

"That may be true in the wizarding world," Jean said, "but the muggle world has different laws. You're not allowed to marry before being legally adult – at eighteen, and until then you need a guardian. As her parents, we are Hermione's legal guardians, but if your guardians pose any problems then we may be helpless regarding you."

"Can't you become my guardians? I already feel much closer to you than I've ever felt to my relatives."

This brought some tears into Jean's eyes. She surprised him by hugging him tightly, not really minding that his head was resting just over her breasts.

"We may visit them tomorrow and have it arranged," commented Dave, from the other end of the dinner table.

Harry was touched to his core, yet he wasn't sure this was a good idea. "They may act very rudely, especially towards Hermione. I don't think this is a good idea."

Dave thought for a moment and then smiled. "We shall ask a friend of ours to join us. She's an accountant, but she used to help the social workers during her studies. I believe her presence would tame them down."

Dave didn't wait. He phoned that friend first, and then called the Dursleys and set an appointment with them the next afternoon.

They reached Privet Drive in the BMW car although Jean's Ford would have given them more legroom. Dave had already met people like the Dursleys and knew how to impress them. Despite the car, Vernon was less than cordial. "What do you want?" he blurted.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Dursley. I'm Dr. Dave Granger and this is my wife Dr. Jean Granger. We're here to talk about Harry."

"There's nothing to talk about that freak!" Vernon replied, trying to slam the door closed, but Dave's foot stopped it.

"Oh, and this is our friend Mrs. Silver, a social worker," Dave continued as if he didn't hear Vernon.

Petunia, who was standing one step behind her husband, whispered loudly at him: "Let them in before all the neighbors see them!"

Vernon moved aside, quite reluctantly, to let the group in. Dave glanced at Harry who nodded towards the living room. They walked there, not waiting to be invited, and sat down.

"What do you want?" Vernon asked.

"We thought it was a good idea to talk about Harry's guardianship," Dave replied calmly.

"So?"

"If I understand correctly, you are not really happy with it."

Vernon snorted. "You could say so."

"We offer to release you from that burden. We would like to become Harry's legal guardians."

"Why?"

"You don't want to be, yet our daughter is a good friend with Harry. If we become his guardians, she may spend more time with him."

Vernon looked at the girl for the first time. She didn't look like one of _**them**_, so how could she befriend Harry? Or maybe she was?

Hermione noticed Vernon's gaze. She took her wand out of her pocket, as if absent mindedly, and started twirling it in her hand, making some sparks fly from its tip. Vernon stiffened considerably and turned his eyes back to Dave.

"Why do you think we would agree?"

Dave looked quite smug. "Well, you don't really like this burden of his guardianship, as you have agreed. Then, although Harry wouldn't tell much, we've got the impression that he wasn't treated by you as he should. I'm sure our friend here would like to ask some questions about it..."

Vernon paled considerably, before changing back to scarlet.

Dave continued as if he didn't notice. "So, you benefit twice: no more being burdened and no need to worry about official interrogations."

Petunia responded to that. "We treated the boy quite as he deserved."

"Do you mean you loved him like he was your own son?"

Petunia paled.

"Or have you bought him nice clothes whenever he grew out of the old ones?"

Petunia hid her face.

"You have surely bought him nice presents for the holidays and for his birthdays, haven't you?"

Vernon exploded. "The freak should be thankful for the roof we gave him above his head."

"Is it so?" Dave asked smoothly. "You wouldn't be opposed to show us his living conditions then, would you?"

Vernon paled and became quiet.

"So, how much will you pay us to become Harry's guardians so you won't need to bother with him anymore?" Dave asked nonchalantly.

"What?" Vernon's face became deep scarlet. "How dare you?"

"Of course. We offer to rid you of a burden. You won't have to feed him, buy him clothes, pay his tuition, not to mention other expenses caused by boys this age. I think it is totally fair that you pay us for ridding you of all these," Dave said as if explaining the obvious.

Vernon seemed on the verge of exploding, yet Dave continued obliviously. "Still, knowing that you are quite poor, I don't really expect very much of you. Seeing the cloths Harry was wearing to school made me realize you couldn't afford to pay very much, yet this service we are offering you is surely worth something to you, isn't it?"

While Vernon couldn't decide if he should show this stranger that he wasn't poor or try to kick him out of the house, Jean turned to Harry.

"Why don't you show us your room while the men discuss their business? I'm sure it must be a lovely room."

Petunia was alarmed. She knew that even Harry's "new" room was substandard, and if he showed them his old one... Well, she dreaded thinking of what that might bring.

"Harry, why don't you and your friend go play with Dudley in his room while I take the ladies for a tea in the kitchen?" she said, trying to sound sweet.

Jean nodded at him very slightly, barely enough for him to notice. "Let's visit Dudley," he said cheerfully to Hermione. 'Keep your wand visible,' he told her through their link.

Dudley was crouching on the stairs, trying to eavesdrop the conversation. He wasn't agile enough to move back to his room before Harry and Hermione reached the stairs. Harry smirked, but ascended slowly, giving Dudley enough time to reach his room and pretend to be surprised by the visit.

"Harry, I thought you weren't coming this summer," Dudley greeted him at the door, quite nervousely. "Who's your friend?"

"This is Hermione, my good friend from school," Harry made the introduction.

Dudley eyed the girl suspiciously. She was holding a wand and was going to the same school as Harry, so she must be a witch, yet she was wearing jeans and a T-shirt and looked quite normal. Actually, she was even pretty, except for her teeth. She was holding Harry's hand posessively and Dudely felt a pang of jealosy. He wanted a pretty girl to hold his hand that way as well. Looking at Harry next, he was surprised to see him being dressed nicely in clothes that were his right size. While Harry was quite thin, too thin compared to Dudley, he looked like someone the girls would like.

Dudley didn't know why, but he felt it was important to make a good impression on the girl, and if that meant being nice to Harry as well – so be it.

Hermione was actually appalled by Dudley's room. It had too much of almost everything, like its owner. The only thing it lacked was books. Hermione was quite aware of how useful a computer could be and how much one could learn with the help of a computer, yet Dudley's seemed to be dedicated to games, all of them with a lot of brutal action and none requiring thought or planning. She also noticed he tried to furtively hide a stack of magazines with naked women on their covers. The way he looked she was sure he won't get too many chances to see real girls naked.

They were called down some time later. Dave was holding a pack of papers and looked content, while Vernon tried to look indifferent, failing miserably.

"We're all done here," Dave told them. "Do you need to take anything from your room here?"

"I've left nothing useful there," Harry replied, quite anxious to leave the house.

"I think I have a few things you should take with you, Harry," Petunia suddenly said. "Vernon, I need your help with the attic," she added. Her voice sounded strained and Harry wondered why.

Petunia returned a few minutes later, carrying a carton box, followed by Vernon, carrying a bigger one.

"Harry, these are your parents' belongings. They were brought to us shortly after you arrived and we kept them out of the way, you surely know why. Now that you're leaving for good, I believe these should be yours." Harry was surprised to see some moisture in her eyes, yet she turned her head abruptly away. When she turned back, her eyes were dry.

Harry was silent on the way back, his emotions in turmoil. Hermione hugged him and tried to help him calm down, yet she couldn't refrain from asking: "Dad, did he eventually pay you?"

Dave smiled. "I insisted. I wanted him to feel it was something worth paying for, or else he would have backed up or try to make us pay. It's just enough to stop on our way back at a restaurant and enjoy our little victory. What do you say?"

Hermione laughed, making Harry a bit calmer. "I love the idea".

Later that night, Harry was going over the contents of the boxes. He found several albums there, one of them charred a bit. Many framed photos – most of them of a green-eyed baby and some of his parents, several books and the most touching – two wands. He took them both in his hands, feeling as if they were transmitting his parents' love to him, as colorful sparks were coming out of their tips. He put everything back reverently and stored the boxes in the wardrobe, knowing he would spend much more time studying their contents in the future.

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	11. Chapter 11 Rehabilitation

**11. Rehabilitation**

Albus had a dilemma He didn't know how to feel. He had always been glad when injustices were corrected, and now a severe injustice was going to hopefully be reversed, yet he was one of those who caused that same injustice to happen. Would letting the truth surface benefit his image, or will the grave mistake that had been made almost twelve years earlier tarnish his image severely? He couldn't honestly say he didn't care, but he knew he would try his best to do the right thing and do whatever damage control was needed afterward.

Sirius's trial didn't get much publicity beforehand. Admitting to such grave errors was not something any administration would like to do and the current ministry was no exception. Yet there were a few reporters present, as always, making the outcome quite public.

Amelia could not be seen anywhere. She was in a turmoil, hoping Sirius would be acquitted, hoping their relationship could be renewed and yet feeling afraid to face him, to stand the chance of being accused by him as being less than what a good friend should have been, much less than an almost fiancée should have been.

It went quite smoothly, though. Dumbledore presented the case, stating the initial findings on the spot and Sirius's incriminating behavior. Mr. Crouch, the head of the DMLE at that time gave a testimony to that effect. Dumbledore then proceeded to the Potter will, reading it out loud and presenting the authorized copy, continuing with interrogating Sirius under veritaserum and finishing by projecting Sirius's memory of the confrontation.

Siruis was unanimously declared "not guilty" and all his privileges and honors were officially restored. He was also offered monetary compensation for his years in prison, which he promptly donated to an orphanage. When he was finally leaving the courtroom as a free man he was almost run down by Amelia, who started kissing and hugging him, barely letting him breathe.

Amelia offered Sirius to stay at her manor and recuperate while her house-elves, along with Kreacher – the only house elf remaining in the Black house, took care of his house and made it appropriate for living after so many years of neglect. Sirius accepted gratefully.

Sirius only had one question on his mind throughout his ordeal. "What happened to Harry?"

Amelia started telling him about Harry's childhood, not knowing much herself. Sirius was appalled at hearing that the Dursleys raised Harry, yet knowing that the will had stayed hidden all that time, he could understand why this had happened.

Albus let Sirius recuperate for a few more days before he visited him.

"I want to meet Harry," Sirius told him as soon as they met.

"Are you sure? Harry doesn't know you and he only knows that you were his parents' friend and his godfather and that you was accused of their betrayal, although incorrectly. Otherwise – you are a complete stranger to him."

"That's what I want to change. I want to get to know him and let him get to know me; I want to give him the fatherly influence that I'm sure he lacked; I want to reclaim his guardianship, as I'm sure the Dursleys were no good at the job."

"Well, there is a slight problem with guardianship, you must know," Albus said, quite reluctantly.

"What is it? I'll fight the Dursleys with all my fortunes if I need to! I'll..."

Albus raised his hand to stop Sirius's rattling. "It's nothing of the sort. To say it bluntly – Harry doesn't need a guardian anymore. He is legally emancipated."

Sirius seemed shocked. "He's only twelve! You can't be serious."

Albus couldn't refrain from replying. "I'm not. You are Sirius," which made Sirius grimace with frustration. "Harry was soul bound with his girlfriend just a few weeks ago, a few days before you were brought back to London. This bond made them a married couple and emancipated them. Then, as Lord Potter, he was allowed into his vault and his parents' will was discovered, leading to your release."

Sirius was really shocked now. He sat down, trying to comprehend. "So... Harry is soul-bound to this girl..." It took him another moment to start questioning again. "Is she worthy of him?"

Albus smiled. "I believe she is the smartest witch of her generation, much like Lilly. She is also muggle-born, like her, and she has been Harry's best friend almost since they started Hogwarts."

Sirius seemed to relax a bit. "How are they now? Where are they now?"

"They are spending the vacation with her parents. They could not be separated after the bond and the Dursleys..."

"You don't need to say anything about them. Lilly would be so furious once we meet again in the afterlife..."

Sirius was quiet for a few minutes. "When can I meet him?" he finally asked.

"I intend to visit there this evening. I don't think they would mind if I bring you along."

Sirius's reaction was almost comical. He became extremely agitated, wanting to look his best and make a good impression. He checked through his still limited wardrobe for the best looking garments and then took a shower, combed and trimmed his beard and his hair, used a liberal amount of manly perfume and then put on his clothes and checked himself several times in the mirror. "Will they accept me?" he asked nervously.

"The Grangers are very open-minded people. Be yourself and everything will be fine," Albus told him.

Sirius left Amelia a note, telling her he was visiting Harry and would return later. Albus smiled internally. The old Sirius would not have thought about leaving a note. He seemed to have finally grown up, somewhat.

They apparated to a deserted alley near the Granger residence. Albus led the way and rang the door bell on arrival.

"Good evening, Professor. My parents are due any moment now. Would you like to wait for them?"

"Yes, that would be fine. I also brought somebody with me. Will that be OK?"

The girl scanned Sirius attentively. "Yes, I see no problem," she said, moving aside and letting them in.

Sirius was reminded of Lilly. This girl didn't have her fiery hair, but she seemed to be just as smart and acted just as Lilly would have. As they went in he heard her call "Harry, we have guests."

"I'll heat some water and join you," he heard the boy's voice.

Hermione led them to the living room, where Harry joined them a minute later.

Albus made the introduction. "I'm sure you're both wondering who this young man is," he said, gesturing towards Sirius.

"Do you remember the will reading? It first stated that Sirius was not their secret keeper. Well, Sirius was believed to be and he spent eleven, almost twelve years in jail, but now, once the truth was revealed, he would really like to get to know his godson."

"So, you are Sirius?" Hermione asked. She didn't wait for his replay before adding "I'm Hermione, Harry's friend and now... his wife?" She seemed to be unsure of her title.

Sirius chuckled. "Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Potter." He shook the offered hand and turned to Harry, who was watching him as if in trance. "And you must be Harry, I presume."

Harry was still dazed. "Sirius?..." He then shook himself back to normal. "I mean, pleased to meet you, sir."

Sirius smiled. "You may both call me Sirius or any nickname you want. I can't tell you how much I'm excited to finally meet you, Harry. I should have acted wiser at the time and made sure to be able to raise you, like Lilly wanted. I'm sorry to have failed you."

"I'm sorry you had to suffer so long for somebody else's crimes, but it's not your failure really."

"I'm glad you think so but I still feel awful for not being able to raise you the way your parents hoped I would."

Harry didn't want to dwell on the past that could not be changed. He wanted to learn some more about his parents, though, and he wanted to get to know Sirius, who had been one of his parents' closest friends.

Albus watched as Sirius and the young Potters were slowly building a new friendship. He knew how important that was for both Harry and Sirius and hoped this relationship, along with the bond, would help give Harry what he had missed during his childhood with the Dursleys.

He introduced Sirius to the Grangers as soon as they came home. Soon the whole group was having dinner together.

"Mr. Black, I understand that you need to rebuild your ties with Harry just as we want to build ours, as he's now our son-in-law. Would you like to join us for our vacation in France? We're going to stay a week at the riviera and then travel a bit, ending the journey in Paris, before taking the train home."

"I'd love that, but I don't think it's a good idea. I wouldn't trust myself near all those gorgeous ladies on the beach, not after spending twelve years in solitary confinement, hardly seeing anybody at all. I also need to rebuild my relationship with my girlfriend, well – lady-friend. She wouldn't trust me alone on the French Riviera either. Justly, I may add."

Both Hermione and Jean chuckled. Sirius was clearly a charming man and was very aware of this.

"Well, if you say so..." Jean replied. "You are still welcome here whenever you choose to visit."

"Thank you, kind lady. I'll also be glad to invite you to my house once it is ready. After so many years of neglect, it needs a serious make-over to be livable again."

They were already in the sitting room, enjoying their after-dinner chat, when Albus requested their attention again. "Harry, as you seem to attract trouble, I'd like you to start training in all kinds of defensive arts that you can. I know there are some forms of muggle combat arts – learn as much as you can during your vacations. Sirius will also help you learn some of the magical ways and I will try to teach you as well. I want to meet you twice a week after you return from France, and we shall continue during term."

"Don't you think Hermione should learn this as well?" asked Harry.

"Everything concerning one of you is concerning the other just as much. You should both train and learn all that you can, so that whenever you meet your foe again you'll be able not only to survive but also to finish him for good," Albus explained.

"Do you mean they should kill somebody?" Jean asked with some disapproval in her voice.

Albus sighed. "I wish there was another way, and yet – this would not be the first time."

Jean looked at Harry very suspiciously. "Would you mind to elaborate?"

Harry felt uncomfortable. "When we went to rescue the Philosopher's Stone, I was facing Quirrel alone in the last room. He tried to touch me and got burnt at the touch. This was probably my mother's blood protection, as Professor Dumbledore told me. Quirrel didn't want to touch me again, but Voldemort forced him to try and strangle me, despite his pain. All I could do was try to protect myself by pushing his head back with both my hands. It caused his face to disintegrate and soon there was nothing left of him, Voldemort fled his body with a scream, similar to the one we heard when we bonded."

Hermione felt her emotions overflow. "Oh, Harry! Why didn't you tell me? It's awful!"

Harry just shrugged. "I was in the hospital wing first, and then there was the farewell feast and we didn't talk about it anymore."

"There's also the Basilisk that you killed," Albus reminded him.

"Well, yes. It was the day we got the bond. Ginny, Ron's little sister, was taken into the chamber of secrets and her life threatened. We couldn't let her die. Eventually I had to face a Basilisk. Fawkes brought the sword to me and I pushed it into the ceiling of its mouth when it tried to bite me again."

"Again?" both Grangers asked.

"Well, it had bitten me once before, but Fawkes healed it with his tears."

"Who is Fawkes?" Jean asked.

"My pet Phoenix," Albus said.

Sirius was shocked. He could never imagine such dangers lurking at Hogwarts and he could now understand how special that little boy was. Few full-blown wizards could fight a Basilisk and live to tell about it. He also knew he would have a very long conversation with Albus. Something was very wrong if the old man couldn't get rid of these dangers on time.

They were all silent for a few moments, and then Dave spoke. "I can teach you Judo. It's more of a sport than a combat art, but we can start immediately and build your endurance and your discipline even during vacation. You can then get some Karate lessons when we return. We'll have to check what can be done during the school year."

"I used to be a good dueler in my time, although I may be a bit rusty right now. I can teach you when you return. By then, my house should be ready and it has a room for practice, which should suit us fine," Sirius added.

"Well, I'm glad this is settled. When are you leaving for France?" Albus asked.

"We're taking the plane to Nice the coming weekend and we'll be back fifteen days later."

"Good. I'll see you then."

Albus and Sirius took their leave soon and the others retired for the night.

Harry didn't think much of Dave's offer to train him, but he was reminded of it the next morning, when Dave knocked on their door. "Hurry up! We can't spend the whole day waiting!" he urged them.

Two hours later, when Dave finally let them return to their room and shower, Harry felt like he needed another night's rest to recover and was quite surprised that Hermione didn't look as tired.

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	12. Chapter 12 First Time

**Warning! **Lemon inside.

**12. First Time**

It was the next day, just a few days before their planned vacation in France.

"Harry, I think I'm ready for the next step in our relationship. Are you ready?" Hermione said that evening, after the shower. She removed her towel, standing naked and proud for him to see.

Harry didn't have to think of his answer, as his body responded immediately, making his readiness evident. He just let his towel fall and hugged his wife passionately. It soon turned into a snog session that moved swiftly onto their bed. Harry continued caressing and kissing her, still trying to remember all that he had read in the books about what made women enjoy their mates. While both their passions grew stronger, Hermione was also actively encouraging him as she caressed his body and kissed him, all the while maneuvering into what she thought the best position for her first time. Harry found himself on top of his wife with her legs holding him tight in place. They were so passionate that they didn't even notice the slight resistance when he finally slid into her, uniting them physically for the first time.

Harry enjoyed the feeling. Being engulfed by her slick, tight warmth gave him a joy he had never felt before. He moved in and out, stroking faster and deeper each time, on pure instincts. All he could see was Hermione's beaming smile; all he could hear was their ragged breathing and her encouraging whispers, which soon turned into moans of pleasure. Still trying to remember his books, he used one hand to rub her sensitive spot in time with his thrusts. He could sense Hermione's peak coming closer and hoped he could last just long enough to let her reach it.

When she finally climaxed, crying "Harry!" and hugging him even tighter with her arms and her legs, he could hold no longer and climaxed within her with a few more thrusts.

Hermione didn't expect too much of her first time. She had heard other girls, mostly older ones, telling about their experiences with boys. These were frustrating more often than not, although they could be heavenly. She knew that her first time might hurt and that such a young boy might be very quick at reaching his climax, leaving her behind. She only hoped it would not hurt too much and would help their bond. When she reached her peak it was an unexpected bonus, which she highly appreciated, letting Harry know how much she enjoyed it by hugging him fiercely.

Being so preoccupied with each other, they didn't even notice the bright light that emanated from their connected bodies just as they reached their peak, yet it was extremely bright. The Grangers, who were still reading in the adjacent room, noticed the wall glowing for a few seconds. They didn't know what it meant, really, only Jean thought it must have been the completion of the bond. Just thinking of what was probably going on behind the wall made her horny. She turned to her husband, prying his book free, and offered him a different entertainment before sleeping. He didn't object.

The young couple caught their breath lying there. Harry was still inside Hermione, although he was starting to soften, yet their passion had not run its course yet. They snogged as soon as they could breathe again. It was very tender at first, but it mounted into highly passionate snogging in no time at all. Harry became hard again and resumed stroking. Hermione turned them around, riding him this time. Harry couldn't complain. He was enjoying seeing her body rocking above his, her small tits bouncing a bit, her face flushed with desire and her hair running wilder than usual. When Hermione collapsed on him, after they both reached a new high, he hugged her and caressed her, feeling much closer to her than he had ever felt before.

They continued making love throughout most of that night. None of them knew how many times they climaxed and none cared. By the time they finally let their exhausted bodies rest and fell asleep, the sky was already starting to lighten.

Jean made sure that Dave wouldn't wake the youngsters for exercise. "Ease them gradually into the habit of exercising daily; don't break them in the process."

Dave nodded reluctantly. He wasn't as aware as his wife of the activity in the other room, but knew better than to argue with his wife. She was quite glad of his ignorance. She wasn't sure his fatherly instincts would not kick-in prematurely. Waiting for later seemed a good plan for her.

Jean was still somewhat surprised when the youngsters didn't join her and Dave at breakfast. She had noticed that none of the children was a late sleeper. While Dave was getting ready to leave – he had an early appointment with a patient – she went to the couple's room and knocked lightly on the door. When receiving no response even after her third knock, she silently opened the door. She couldn't mistake the smell – sex was filling the air. She glanced at the two young bodies, sleeping peacefully on the bed, with their arms and legs entwined tightly, and noticed the reddish stains. "She's a married woman now," Jean reminded herself and then left the room, closing the door silently behind her. She was glad it wasn't Dave who checked on them.

It was almost midday when Hermione opened her eyes. It took her a moment to remember why she was feeling so happy and content. Some stickiness between her thighs and a certain soreness a bit higher were good reminders. Just thinking of all she had done during the night made her eager for more.

Harry was still hugging her lightly and she could tell he was going to wake up soon. His erect member was pressed against her stomach, and although she knew it was just a morning boner, she felt extremely aroused by the touch. A grumbling sound came from their stomachs' area and she couldn't identify whose stomach was the source, yet the sound reminded her of her own hunger. She glanced at the clock on the nightstand and was a bit alarmed by the hour. She didn't expect it to be early morning, but it was almost noon.

"Harry, dear, we should wake up..." she whispered in his ear.

He didn't respond, but the tightening of his hug signaled that he had heard her.

She couldn't move much in his embrace, but she snaked her hand out and tickled him just slightly. Harry jumped in bed, releasing her. She didn't wait for him to retaliate. She moved out of bed in one swift motion, ran to the bathroom and locked the door. She heard him banging lightly on the door.

"It's not fair! I need the bathroom as much as you do," he complained.

"You should have thought of that before faking being asleep," she told him, waiting a few more seconds before unlocking the door.

As much as he wanted to tickle her back, just seeing her standing there in all her naked glory made him forget everything. He just drank her beauty with his eyes, almost forgetting the pressure that brought him there in the first place. "I love you so much!" he said throatily, not even thinking.

She just came closer and kissed his lips tenderly. Everything else seemed to have been forgotten. They snogged for several minutes, before some other body functions required their attention.

They handled their pressing needs and then showered together. It was almost turning to another session of love making, but Hermione wouldn't let herself lose control just yet. She insisted they first dress and get some brunch before deciding what to do next. Harry had to admit it was a sound idea, although he grumbled quite a bit.

They found a note on the refrigerator.

"_We'll be back after five. There's plenty you can eat in the refrigerator. You only need to heat it._

_Jean. _

_P.S. Please lock your door next time._"

Harry's face turned shining red at the last sentence, yet Hermione smiled nonchalantly. "They should have used their own remedy," she told him. "I've had more than one chance to see them in action while living here – they've **never** locked the door."

Hermione insisted that they should finish their summer homework before going to France, so they spent the next few hours doing just that. It was somehow much easier this time, Harry discovered. He seemed to have remembered things he never thought he knew and even phrasing his essays seemed much easier now, although some of his writing looked suspiciously as if phrased by Hermione.

"I think it is the effect of the bond," she told him. "The book Professor McGonagall left in our room was somewhat vague on the effects the bond may have on the couple. It looks like whoever wrote it didn't have first-hand experience and was not really sure about some of the aspects."

Harry could actually see the relevant pages, although he had not read the book. "I believe you're right. It looks like everything you know has now become part of my knowledge and probably the other way round as well."

"Well, yes, although I still don't understand how you ended up on that roof." Her mischievous grin told him that she was aware of many more of his memories, some of which he felt quite reluctant to share.

Harry smiled reluctantly. "I don't understand either," he said. He thought a bit about the book they had been given. "Maybe you should write a book about the effects of the bond, once we've got more experience in life?" he suggested.

Hermione's smile widened. "That's a good idea, Harry. Such a book could help other soul-bound couples in their first steps, although we seem to have managed quite nicely until now."

He hugged her lovingly. "Yes, we have."

They were still a bit tired even after a late lunch, though. Without even speaking, they held hands and returned to their room. Hermione glanced at their bed and blushed hard. "Harry, we've not cleaned the bed after our nightly activity."

Harry hugged her reassuringly. "We can use magic, remember?"

Hermione smiled. She took her wand and waved it at the bed, mumbling a series of spells. The sheets were immediately cleaned and then they stretched themselves and tucked at the sides, looking as if the bed was just freshly made. "Well, my dear husband, is this to your liking?"

He turned his eyes to her. "This is very much to my liking," he said, pointing at her.

They were soon naked in bed, yet their bodies were not yet fully recuperated after their nightly activities. They only had one round of love making before they cuddled into each other and fell asleep.

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	13. Chapter 13 France - part 1

**A.N.** _For all those forgetful readers – Hermione has been taking the potion since getting bound and they both know the contraceptive spell. No need to mention it every time._

**13. France – part 1**

It was Thursday evening. The Grangers had already packed everything into four large suitcases and two backpacks. Jean and Hermione also had their ladies' handbags ready. Dave called the youngsters for a chat.

"We've already talked about it, but I want to make sure everything is perfectly clear," he started.

Seeing them both nodding, he continued: "We're going to be in muggle areas, where the age of consent is sixteen or seventeen. Everybody who sees you should not suspect you are anything but good friends. Is that clear?"

"Yes, dad," they said in unison.

"Good. Now about sleeping arrangements. In Nice and in Paris we're going to have two-bedroom suits. Your bedroom will have two single beds. Use them both if you don't want to attract undue attention."

Both nodded.

"As for the rest – we shall use a two-room tent, like we've always done. There's only a thin cloth wall separating the two rooms. I don't want to hear any suspect noises."

"You mean the kind of noises I've been hearing every night during previous summer vacations?" Hermione asked innocently.

Dave blushed deep crimson. "Well, you should have told us you weren't asleep... but... yes, I mean that kind of noises, especially since they can be heard outside the tent as well."

"We can use silencing charms. We can even cast them on your side of the tent if you want," Hermione said, still looking extremely innocent.

Dave wasn't sure what to say at first. "Well, it may be a good idea," he finally said.

"Now, Harry, you've already heard about the places we like to stay at during our vacation, I believe."

Harry nodded solemnly.

"We shall all be naked there. You may stare as much as you like, but it is strictly forbidden to act in any way that is considered inappropriate when wearing cloth. Any sexual activity, even between adults, is to be carried in privacy. If some of the ladies excite you, it would be safer to hide the physical manifestations of that excitement by either lying on your stomach, using a towel, going into deeper water or any other similar act. Am I clear?"

"Yes, sir, but I don't think anybody can excite me while Hermione is near me. She's all that I'll ever want, you know."

Dave smiled at the serious tone. Although he knew Harry was now a married man, he still looked like a child. Hearing such a declaration from him was somewhat amusing, actually.

"Well, I'm glad we all understand each other. Now, off to bed. We have a busy day tomorrow."

They took a taxi to the airport. The weekend traffic was quite heavy, with many others starting their vacations that day. They then had to endure the long lines at check-in and passport control. Once out of the queues, they still had another hour of waiting before boarding the plane. Jean thought it was a good time to introduce her daughter to the wonders of modern cosmetics while Harry and Dave went into an electronics shop.

Harry had a good time checking all the wonderful equipment there. He knew nothing would probably work at Hogwarts, but he couldn't resist buying an MP3 player, preloaded with a variety of love songs and dance music. When they left the shop, after spending there more than half an hour, Dave commented: "I see you no longer have to hold hands most of the time."

Harry blushed a bit. He knew that Dave had already known and approved of his relationship with Hermione, yet it was still a sensitive subject. "Well, sir, we no longer need it since we got more... intimate."

Dave smiled. "Don't 'sir' me, please, even if you find the subject somewhat embarrassing. I'm just glad it went so smoothly. I don't think Hermione will let you rest very much during this vacation, though," he teased the boy.

Harry just blushed a bit more but said nothing.

"You should be ready for this. Dad will continue teasing us for a long time. Don't be offended, though. It's just his way to deal with this unexpected situation," Hermione told him later.

Harry's excitement mounted as they boarded. It was his first time on a plane, his first time flying the muggle way. Hermione let him sit at the window, knowing he would be fascinated, although she liked sitting there herself. She could still see everything through his eyes and she could also sense his excitement, which was more than appropriate reward for her little sacrifice. She was not disappointed. Harry was glued to the window throughout the flight, not even noticing the snacks and refreshment served. He was also fascinated by the landing, being able to see some aspects of the flight which his excitement didn't allow him to notice at take-off.

It was early afternoon by the time they reached their hotel. Dave drove the rented car – he had chosen one big enough to accommodate all their luggage with room to spare, and parked it at the hotel. A bell-boy loaded their luggage on a cart and took it to their suit while Dave was finishing the check-in procedure. Dave made sure Harry was aware of each part of the procedure, including the tips. "You should learn to deal with such situations, considering your standing in your society," he told Harry. "It's my duty as your guardian to prepare you for your future role in life." Harry could notice the seriousness with which Dave handled his guardian duties.

They didn't stay long in their suit; just long enough to wash their faces and refresh Jean's makeup. Soon they were walking the streets, enjoying the warmth, the free atmosphere and (for the males) the scantly dressed young women.

"I think there's a magical quarter here," Hermione suddenly said.

"What makes you say so?" inquired Jean.

"Do you see that shop between the Boulangerie and the chemist?"

"I only see a stretch of blank, white painted wall." Jean told her.

Harry saw a small shop with a sparkling wine-glass and a wand over its door.

"Let's go!" Hermione said. Grabbing her parents' hands. They followed reluctantly.

"Bonjour Medames, Monsieurs. Puis-je vous aider?" ("Good day ladies and gentlemen. May I help you?") the shopkeeper asked.

It looked like a wine-boutique, although no customers could be seen and just a few bottles.

"Nous sommes touristes. Ia't il un quartier magique par ici?" ("We're tourists. Is there a magical quarter here?") Hermione asked. Harry was surprised he could understand it well. On second thought – he shouldn't have been.

"Oh, you're English! Yes, we have a magical quarter here. Just go to the end of the shop and into what looks like a large refrigerator's door. Enjoy your stay!" The welcome was spoken with a heavy French accent, but was quite clear.

They followed the instructions and found themselves walking into a French version of Diagon Alley. The shops were quite similar, including a white marble Gringotts branch, which was less imposing than it's London counterpart. On the other hand, the people on the street were completely different. Nobody was wearing robes, although some seemed to be wearing quite old-fashioned clothes. The younger people were wearing normal muggle clothing, including short trousers, sleeveless shirts, miniskirts and skimpy tops. Only the wands peeking out of pockets or dedicated holsters indicated these were actually magical people.

Harry was attracted to a shop displaying travel gear in its window. There was a tent there which looked very nice. The notice attached gave some more information in several languages: "Four bedrooms, living room, kitchen with supplies for five years, two bathrooms, a separate toilet. Easily collapsible into a small packet." An arrow directed his gaze to a cloth packet the size of a man's purse.

"Can we have a look in here?" he asked the adults.

"Go ahead! It's your vacation, isn't it?" Dave told him.

Hermione did most of the talking there. They were shown several magical tents, some as large inside as a small manor, yet all presenting the same humble exterior. They finally decided to buy a tent with only two bedrooms, but still having two bathrooms as well. The adult Grangers kept their mouths shut while visiting these tents. It was unbelievable, seeing what magic could do.

Harry was somewhat reluctant about the payment, though. "I don't have enough money with me," he told the shopkeeper. "I can just cross the street and take some more from the bank."

"You can relax, lad. We accept muggle money and credit cards, and you can use your wand to approve a fund transfer. Being located at a tourist center requires some flexibility on our part, you should know."

"I think wand-transfer would be nice, thank you," Harry replied.

The shopkeeper took a piece of parchment which was already printed, wrote the tent's price at the provided space and showed it to Harry. "The bank will probably charge you a small fee as well, unless you are a high-profile customer. Now, just tap your wand here, please."

Harry tapped the large X at the bottom of the form. His signature appeared there magically, along with his account number. The shopkeeper looked at it approvingly and handed it to Harry. "It's approved. This is your copy. Keep it for warranty service, although I doubt you may need it. The warranty is for ten years from the date of purchase."

He handed Harry the collapsed tent, which Hermione put into her small handbag with no problem. "Enjoy your stay, sir," he added. Harry noticed the change from "lad" to "sir" was initiated by the name appearing on the parchment. He wasn't famous in Britain only, so it seemed.

They ended their stroll by dining at a very posh restaurant in the muggle part of the city and retired early to bed. "We still have a few hours driving tomorrow before we reach our first destination, so don't sleep late," Dave reminded the Potters.

It was really a long drive, but once they reached there, Harry immediately thought it was worth it. The camping site that they reached was located in a beautiful secluded bay with a golden sandy beach, palm trees and clear water. It also included a large swimming pool, some areas for sports and games, nice common bathrooms and shaded plots for tents or mobile homes.

Dave took his tent out of the trunk of the car and started erecting it. Despite it being a very modern and easy to use tent, it took the four of them almost an hour before they could place the mats in and declare the tent ready for use.

Harry asked Dave to move the car, so it would hide the remaining area of their allotted plot. He then took his tent from Hermione's bag, positioned it on the ground where he wanted its center to be and tapped it with his wand, saying "enlarge". It only took a few seconds for the tent to reach its normal size and be ready for use. It looked much smaller compared to the Granger's tent. A casual passer-by would only think it was made for the children to play when the adults wanted their peace.

They went in to check it. The entry hall was almost as large as the whole family-tent. A normal size kitchen was located at its right, with fully equipped larder, a large freezer, filled to the brim, and just as large a refrigerator. A cooking stove, a toaster and an unexpected microwave oven completed the set. Harry checked the cupboards. They had all the cutlery and utensils one may need for preparing food and for serving up to eight people at once.

The bedrooms had king-sized beds each, with attached bathrooms the same size they had in their hotel suit. Harry could see Dave's reluctance to admit he'd rather sleep on one of these beds than on the mattress he had put into his tent.

Jean had no doubt. "May we use your spare bedroom? It looks much more comfortable than our tent."

"You're welcome to use it. The shopkeeper assured me that the rooms are sound-proof. Whatever noise is made in them would not be heard anywhere else," Harry told her, keeping a straight face. Jean only smiled her thanks, knowing that she would use this knowledge in quite the same way as the younger couple.

"Would anybody fancy a dip in the sea now?" Dave asked.

They were soon running naked on the sand, enjoying total freedom. After a short dip in the warm water, they all put some sun-lotion on, knowing too well the dangers of overexposure to sun radiation.

Hermione decided to give Harry some swimming lessons. Unlike other subjects, this needed some experience to gain proficiency, yet relying on her memory, Harry learned to swim in just a few minutes. They then raced to a small rock at the middle of the bay and back again. Harry's stronger muscles were a good match to Hermione's better technique, ending both races in a tie. They fell exhausted on their beach-towels and let the sun and the light breeze dry their skins and soothe their muscles.

The beach, although not crowded, was far from empty. They all found some new friends and some old ones, in the case of the parents, quite soon. A German boy and an Italian girl roughly their age were glad to make friends with Harry and Hermione. The boy was quite nice and spoke English with a heavy accent. His round face reminded Harry of Dudley, or of how Dudley could have been had he been properly raised. He was glad to meet the English children and somewhat sad for having to leave the next day. The girl spoke very little English, yet her French was more than passable. She was Harry's age, yet she looked older due to her very feminine curves and her large chest, which Harry enjoyed looking at, if only to tease Hermione a bit.

None of their new friends was shy about nudity, making Harry lose what was left of his shyness all the same. He chuckled internally thinking of Dudley's reaction to present company.

Dave started a session of their Judo training as soon as they left the beach. They spent about two hours training and were very thankful for the bathrooms in their tent, once their lesson was over.

Both couples retired to their bedrooms for an hour. They then went to the pool, where most socializing was done. They only found one girl close to their age there, but although she was exposing her budding body for all to see, she was quite shy to start any conversation with others and stayed close to her mother and her younger brother.

The next three days were much the same: a morning run along the beach for all four of them, a light breakfast in the tent followed by Judo training and then some sea-side activities. Lunch was eaten in the tent, followed by a short nap in the bedrooms, or that was what they called it. They used the early afternoons for touring the neighborhood a bit, clothed, for a change. They then spent the late afternoon at the pool, dining at the resort's restaurant and then joining whatever social activity was offered or just retiring early. They actually had TV sets in the living room and in each of the bedrooms, but none was interested enough to even switch them on.

Hermione used any spare time to read some more, having brought a few books with her just for the occasion. These were romantic novels which she wouldn't have spared a glance at under different circumstances, yet they were very appropriate for a newly wed.

They packed their tents the fourth day, put on some clothes and drove to another resort. This one was a much larger place, accommodating hundreds of families, yet the atmosphere was quite similar.

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	14. Chapter 14 France - part 2

**14. France – part 2**

They didn't bother with the muggle tent this time. Using the car for cover, they setup the magical tent in no time and then joined the crowd near the pool, as the sea seemed a bit rough.

They were just splashing each other joyfully when a voice called "Hermione?"

Harry turned around, trying to attach a face to the familiar voice. He found much more than a face. Lavender Brown was jumping up and down at the side of the pool, trying to catch Hermione's attention and catching the attention of practically every male around with her bouncing tits.

"Lavender!" Hermione squeaked and swam towards her. "I didn't expect to see you or anybody from school here," she told her as she came near.

"Well, I didn't expect it either. I use to come here with my parents each year since I can remember, but I've never met anybody... like us."

"My parents love variety, so they visit different places each year."

Harry joined them now, making Lavender gasp in surprise.

"Harry?! I never thought you looked so... WOW!"

He smiled, sweeping her body with his eyes, "You look very nice as well."

Lavender blushed a bit. "So, is it really true that you are now a couple? Not that it was so hard to believe, yet... it was so sudden."

Harry put his hand on Hermione's waist, hugging her lightly. "Yes, we are a couple and we are very happy about it."

Lavender grabbed his hand. "Come to my tent. I want to hear all the details. Par will be so jealous!"

Hermione frowned. "Why? Did she want to be with Harry?"

"I don't think she cares one way or the other, but she's always keen on knowing everything first."

Lavender wanted to know everything, asking very intimate question without even thinking. Hermione only told her the basics – practically just a bit more detailed description than the one already published. She admitted to having consummated their marriage, but wouldn't give any more details, except for saying, "I don't think I could have had a better or more considerate partner for my first time than Harry. He gave me something that could make every woman envious."

Harry paid more attention to what he saw than to what he heard. Lavender, despite being a few months younger than Hermione was much more developed. Her curves were more feminine, her breasts much larger and even her pubic area more pronounced, yet he liked Hermione's looks much better. With Lavender everything looked a bit exaggerated. He thought she might turn similar to Mrs. Weasley in a few years, unless she was very careful.

Lavender's presence proved to be a bit of a nuisance, although she didn't really bother them after the first conversation, yet they didn't feel as free knowing she could be watching, considering what a gossip she was. Luckily, there were many other children their age there and they enjoyed meeting them.

It was still a bit of relief when they left that resort and started their way to Paris. Harry wasn't fond of big crowds, like the one in that resort. He really liked the first one better. They were all dressed quite skimpily, as most tourists near the Mediterranean Sea at this time of the year. They stopped on their way a few times, visiting some old Chateaux or interesting old towns.

They were approaching Paris when Dave took the exit from the auto-route.

"Dad, Paris is straight ahead. Why do you change direction?" Hermione asked him.

"I thought we might just enjoy another stop on our way," he answered cryptically.

They were soon on another highway, going farther from Paris. Evening was already setting and Harry was dozing on the back seat when Hermione noticed a road sign.

"Are you taking us to..."

Jean stopped her with a hand gesture. "It's his birthday tomorrow, isn't it?"

Hermione wanted to hug them, but it wasn't possible at the moment. She only whispered to her parents "I love you so much!"

Harry woke up only when they parked in a large parking lot in front of the hotel. "Are we in Paris?" he asked, quite sleepily.

"No. We decided to stay here before going to Paris," Dave told him.

Harry didn't pay much attention to his surroundings. He had actually slept very little the previous night, enjoying several orgasms with his wife. Hermione didn't seem to need much sleep, but he was exhausted the whole day. He didn't even recognize the logo on the door of their suit, which also appeared on several items in the rooms. Hermione tucked him in and then went to talk with her parents.

"We thought this may be a nice present for his thirteenth birthday," Jean said.

"And I was sure you'll enjoy it as well, despite having visited here before," Dave commented.

"I'm sure he'll love it, although he's too tired now to even notice. Actually, I'm not sure he even knows the logo, as his relatives had never let him enjoy television and never took him to the cinema. They should have been thrown in jail!"

"Do you think Harry would have liked them to?" Dave asked.

Hermione didn't need to think about it. "No, he isn't vindictive. He's just happy to be free of them."

Jean gave her a small package. "Put this on his side-table. It's a small birthday present for him. Did you buy him anything?"

"I couldn't. He knows every single thought I may have, just as I know his. I can't keep a secret from him even if I try. It's just like trying to keep a secret from myself. I hope we'll find something suitable tomorrow."

"And do get some sleep tonight. You're almost as tired as he is, and tomorrow may be a very busy day."

Harry woke up quite early, not really knowing where he was, but feeling Hermione sleeping peacefully at his side he couldn't care less. He looked at her face lovingly, noticing her long lashes which fluttered a little as she was dreaming, and her red lips, which needed no lipstick to look sexy and enticing. His eyes wandered to her chest. It was just perfect! Not as big and heavy as Lavender's, yet big enough for him to cup it lovingly, to caress it, lick it and suck its pink nipples. He felt himself become harder and turned his eyes. He knew they were going on the road soon, so he couldn't afford making love to her in the morning. He turned around reluctantly and noticed something on the night stand. He first put his glasses on and then looked again. It was a small packet with a note attached,

"_Happy birthday, Harry! _

_We can't tell you how happy we are that you joined our family. You make Hermione happy, thus making us happy as well, and even as your guardians you make us proud to call you 'son'._

_This is just a small token of our love, as you already have our greatest treasure – our daughter. Keep her happy and keep the two of you safe._

_Love,_

_Jean and Dave._"

The note excited him so much that he had tears in his eyes. He opened the package to find a white elegant dress-shirt and another note: "_The rest of this set awaits you at home._"

He was still admiring his present when a movement behind him attracted his attention. A very sleepy Hermione kissed his cheek. "Happy Birthday, my dear husband," she whispered in his ear.

"Good morning, love," he said as he turned around and kissed her properly on her lips.

"Let's get ready. We have a busy day today," she told him, shedding the last threads of sleepiness.

While using the bathroom, Harry noticed the famous mouse logo for the first time, but he only wondered which hotel would use such a stupid logo.

There was a knock on the door shortly after they were ready. "Happy Birthday, Harry," both Grangers said, engulfing him in a hug. "Let's go down for breakfast," they told him.

Harry felt like in a fairy tale. He saw people dressed like Disney characters moving between the tables, giving attention to each child present. While he was deprived of most toys and books, he was still aware of these characters, yet he didn't understand why they were present in the dining hall. Harry was even more surprised when two of these, dressed like Mickey and Minnie, stopped at his table, sang a birthday song for him and gave him an envelope. He opened it to find four two-day tickets to Euro-Disney parks.

Harry was overwhelmed. He had never got such nice presents and he wasn't even able to respond. Hermione just held his hand tightly and reassuringly, giving him an anchor, so he could keep in touch with reality.

For a day, Harry and Hermione forgot about being married, forgot about being a Lord and a Lady of the British Magical community and only remembered they were children in one of the most famous amusement parks in the world. Harry felt as if it was more magical than Hogwarts, although he knew there was no real magic involved. Hermione enjoyed her visit twice as much as the previous time. Not only was it enjoyable for her, but she also felt all the joy Harry was experiencing and was doubly happy for being able to bring happiness into his life, knowing how little happiness he had experienced before.

They ran from one attraction to the other just like all the other children, and even the long ques at some attractions didn't affect their enthusiasm. They only agreed to leave the park and head back to the hotel when the park closed for the night.

"This is the best birthday I ever had," Harry told the Grangers. "Thank yo so much for giving me this wonderful gift!"

"Hey, we're also enjoying it," Jean said.

"My only chance to act childishly without being reprimanded," Dave added. Both Harry and Hermione chuckled.

That night, once they came back to their room, Harry found three owls waiting. One was from Ron, another was from Hagrid and the third was from Sirius. Ron sent him a Pocket Sneakoscope and a photo of the whole family in Egypt, with the pyramids in the background. Even Scabbers, Ron's pet rat, could be seen in that image. Hagrid sent him a book, but Harry didn't unwrap it, thinking it should rather stay protected in its wraps until they came home. Sirius only sent his good wishes for Harry's birthday, promising a nice present once they met back in England.

Paris was much less exciting after spending two days at the Disney parks, yet it was very interesting in a different way. Visiting the various museums, being exposed to all that art, gave Harry a new appreciation of things, and having Hermione as his own personal guide was certainly helping. He also enjoyed visiting some of the other tourist attractions, despite the long queues.

Hermione then took him to the magical quarter, where he bought two vanishing wand holsters that could store additional wands without anybody noticing. Harry thought these might prove useful, although he hoped to never really need them. They finally paid a visit to the Versailles palaces and their magnificent gardens.

By the time they boarded the train to London he felt so full of impressions that he could hardly contain any more.


	15. Chapter 15 Justice

**15. Justice**

Sirius met them at the train station, wearing normal muggle clothes, yet he was still attracting attention. As a tall, handsome man with evident charisma he was eyed lustfully by many women and enviously by most men. He hugged Harry tightly, and shook hands with the others. "My house is ready now. I'd like you to come and visit."

Jean smiled at him. "Don't you think we should rather go home first, unpack our luggage and get organized before we can accept your invitation?"

"Oh, I didn't intend you to come right at this moment. I just wanted you to know that you are really welcome at my house. You may reach it using the Floo. The address is 12 Grimmauld Place."

"The Floo?"

"I'll explain," Hermione intervened, "But I'm not sure we are connected," she said to Sirius.

"I've already taken care of that. You are connected but unlisted. Only those you give your address to would be able to use it, and there are also wards you may use to further screen visitors."

"Well, it may take us a few hours to get organized, but we'll be glad if you join us for dinner to tell us some more and also set the schedule for Harry and Hermione to start training with you," Jean said.

"Fine! Let me just drive you home. I have my own car nearby."

Sirius led them to the parking lot, where an elegant two-seater sports car was parked.

"How do you intend us all to cram in here?" Dave asked incredulously.

"How? By magic, of course."

The car's trunk was much larger than one could guess from its outside dimensions. Their luggage went in with room to spare. This was also true of the passenger compartment. Where normally only two people could sit with a handbag or two stowed behind the seats, this car had three rows of seats, accommodating seven passengers easily. Sirius waved them all in before taking the driver seat. He said the address out loud and the car started moving by itself. It stayed on the road the whole time, yet they reached home in just a few minutes. Dave seemed confused by the speed. Even driving that distance in the middle of the night, with no traffic and no red lights would have taken almost an hour, yet he didn't ask. He already knew what the answer would be: magic.

Sirius helped Dave and Harry carry the luggage in and then departed, promising to come back for dinner.

Harry was glad to be back. Although he had only lived in this house a few weeks, it was already "home" much more than 4 Privet Drive had ever been. Just looking at all those books lining the walls, at Hermione's clothes hanging in the wardrobe and at the bed where they became one for the first time filled his heart with a kind of happiness he had never known before. Hermione was sensing his feeling and she took his hand, caressing it lightly and enhancing his happiness.

Sirius wanted to see their purchases after dinner. Hermione and Harry invited him to their room. After some teasing directed at the young couple, Sirius looked through their purchases. He admired the wand holsters and the tent and was quite impressed by some of the clothing they bought in France.

Harry then told him of the two boxes he had received from Petunia and asked for his help sorting them out. While Harry was handling the first box, Sirius happened to see the Weasley photo from Egypt. He smiled seeing Ron wave at the camera and Ginny waving shyly as well. He was going to put it aside when he noticed the rat climbing on Ron's shoulder.

"Harry, who are these?" he asked, barely keeping his voice calm.

"Oh, this is my friend Ron with his family. His father won some money in the lottery and they used it to visit Egypt, where his eldest brother is working for Gringotts as a curse breaker."

"Ron Weasley?" Sirius asked, noticing the red hair on all heads.

"Sure. Do you know him?"

"I don't know **him**, of course, but I knew his parents before..."

"He's my best friend, apart from Hermione, that is."

Harry was surprised that Sirius didn't tease him at once.

"Is this his pet?" Sirius asked, pointing at the rat.

"Yes. It's been in the family since his older brothers went to Hogwarts, about eleven years, I believe. Why?"

"I have a certain idea. Do you mind giving me this picture for a day or two? I promise to give it back intact."

"Well, why not?"

Sirius left just a bit later. He called Albus as soon as he reached home.

"I believe I know where Peter is," he told the headmaster without bothering with protocol.

"Are you sure?"

"As sure as I can be without seeing him myself. Do you know the Weasleys?"

"They were among the first to join the Order. Why?"

"Their son, Ron, has a pet. Have you seen it?"

"It's just a ra..." He stopped in mid sentence. Peter escaped as a rat. Could it be?

"Have you seen anything special in that rat?" Sirius pressed on.

"I don't remember ever seeing it close. Why?"

"Ron sent a family picture to Harry. The rat is also in the picture. He misses a finger, and according to Harry, this rat is eleven years old at least; much too old for a regular animal."

Dumbledore didn't need it to be spelled for him. "We should contact the Weasleys immediately," he said.

"According to Harry, they are still in Egypt and will only return in a week. I suggest we prepare a trap for Peter. He will try to run away and hide as soon as he discovers that we found him. We should prevent this. I can get a team of aurors to secure the house, but it won't help us if he manages to escape as a rat."

"I can ward the house to stop any animagus from escaping or even to force him into his human form."

Sirius thought for a bit. "I think we should better let them return first, before doing anything. It may alert the rat prematurely."

The plan was ready a few days before the Weasleys returned home. Albus dropped for a visit that same evening, with Sirius waiting outside, heading a group of well-trained aurors.

After the pleasantries were over, he asked Ron "May I see your rat?"

"It's in my room. I'll bring it here."

Ron found the rat sleeping on his bed. He took it as tenderly as he could in his hand, which was actually quite roughly, and headed downstairs. The rat was agitated and tried jumping out of Ron's hand, yet Ron held it too tight to be able to really fight.

"Put it down on the table," Dumbledore instructed Ron.

The rat felt trapped. It tried to run away, but invisible walls held it at the corner of the table, unable to move too much in any direction. Dumbledore's wand moved in a tight circle as he whispered an incantation. The rat froze and started changing. A moment later there was a man sitting on the table.

"Hello, Peter. It's been quite a long time since we last saw you," the headmaster said. His tone was light, but his face looked dead serious and his wand continued pointing at the man. "Care to tell us why you've been hiding for so long?" Peter sat there trembling. He tried transforming a few times and found it impossible. He knew he was trapped, and having heard of Sirius rehabilitation he knew he had nothing good to look forward to.

Albus didn't wait for Peter to respond. "Let the aurors in," he told Arthur, whom he had briefed while Ron was upstairs. Peter was soon cuffed with anti-animagus cuffs and tied well. His wand was removed from his robes and he was taken to the holding cells at the ministry under heavy guard.

Harry and Hermione were not aware of these events. Hermione's parents had decided it was time for Harry to meet the rest of their family: aunts, uncles, cousins and most important – Hermione's grandparents.

Harry was quite reluctant at first, although he agreed to be presented as an orphan. He really was one, so there was no reason to deny it. Jean and Dave also wanted to announce their guardianship, but Harry wasn't sure it was such a good idea. He knew they cared for him, yet he liked being independent, as he already was in the magical world. He preferred not to tell anything about it yet. Being an orphan and a good friend with Hermione was reason enough to spend the summer vacation with her family.

Dave's parents proved to be quite as nice as their son. They accepted Harry warmly as just another member of the extended family. They showed a lot of interest in Hermione's school life as they were aware of her special talents and rejoiced in them. Harry was almost tempted to tell them about the soul-bond. Only Hermione's silent warning stopped him on time. 'They would be appalled to know we are already paired for good. They had married relatively late, after having lived with several partners each, so being tied at our age would not be appreciated.'

Jean's parents were a different story, though. 'Remember, we are at a boarding school for the gifted. Don't even mention magic. They don't know about it and would probably react badly if they knew the truth', Hermione warned him at the door.

Jean's parents, as well as her sister and her brother-in-law, acted like higher-middle-class snobs. While they appreciated the Grangers' education and even more – their income, they thought that their daughter deserved to live in a better neighborhood and to wear more fanciful clothing. The fact that Jean liked her life better this way didn't even register. They were very polite with Harry, but showed him no warmth. He felt as if they were just an upgraded version of the Dursleys. Hermione didn't like the comparison.

The Potters were brought back to reality by an owl from Ron, telling them of the loss of his rat and the capture of Peter. Sirius filled them in with the latest news the next morning, when they joined him for training.

Peter's trial took place a few days later. During interrogation he spilled out the names of all death-Eaters that he knew, including their relative rank. Amelia didn't wait too long to bring all of them into custody, a few of her aurors included. Despite all this, special security precautions were set for the trial: No weapon of any kind (wand, knife, sword, pistol, rifle, etc...) was allowed near the court hall; All members of the wizengamot as well as all spectators were scanned to enforce the "no weapon" policy; A special reinforced-glass-walled cage was erected for the accused, to protect him from curses, should one of the aurors or the judges prove untrustworthy.

The minister was fuming: many of his loyal supporters had been arrested, based on the suspect's testimony, yet he could do nothing without becoming suspiciously involved as well. He preferred not to be involved at all, leaving the chief warlock in charge of the proceedings.

The case proved very simple, as far as the judicial part was considered. Peter confessed to being the Potter secret keeper and to have betrayed them to Voldemort. He also repeated the list of the Death Eaters he had known and their ranks, making it a field day for the press. Some judges just couldn't accept this. "Lucius Malfoy had been acquitted as being under Imperius during that time," one noted. "How can you know for sure that he wasn't?"

"Lucius Malfoy was in the closest circle to the Dark Lord. To be there, one had to prove his loyalty to his master beyond any doubt. Those who were imperiused were only kept at the lowest rank," Peter replied, still under Veritaserum.

Other names were also double checked with similar results.

Peter was sentenced for life in Azkaban, but the other implications of his trial were far-fetching, as prominent members of the magical society were either imprisoned or fled the country, not willing to stand justice.

Harry wasn't involve in any of this. He only read about it in "The Daily Prophet" and Sirius told him the main points as well. He was just glad to put all this behind him.

The young couple continued training with Dave and with Sirius. Dave was a ruthless coach, forcing them to go a step beyond their assumed limits each time, making them fitter and stronger. The training was also enhancing their reflexes, making them react much faster and in a more precise way to any challenge.

Their improved fitness also proved beneficial with Sirius. He taught them standard dueling practices using traditional weapons like swords and knives, considering them just as essential as the magical dueling practices, which he also started working on, building their stamina and teaching them many new spells.

Harry was sure that by the end of the summer vacation, both would be physically and magically in much better shape than any of their class mates.

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	16. Chapter 16 Training

**16. Training**

The headmaster visited them in the middle of August. He spent a few minutes just hearing about their vacation and how their bond was strengthening. He was also interested in their training, both with Sirius and with Dave. He then asked, "What do you know about wandless magic?"

"Wandless magic is considered a very advanced form of casting. One normally needs long and intense training combined with a powerful magical core to achieve it", Harry replied in a very Hermionish style, surprising the headmaster.

"When combined with silent casting, which is also achievable only by very powerful mages, it can prove invaluable at combat," Harry continued in the same tone.

"I can see she has rubbed on you already," Albus chuckled before continuing in a more serious tone. "Both techniques are very important. Casting silently, your opponent would not be able to know what spell you were using until he was hit, or even know when you were casting it. Wandless casting is extremely useful if you don't have access to a wand for whatever reason. Combined, they make a formidable weapon. I believe you can master both."

"Are you sure I can handle such advanced magic?"

"There's only one way to be sure – try and master it."

He continued by describing how to channel one's magic in the appropriate direction without a wand. Hermione seemed to grasp the explanation first, but Harry followed in a matter of seconds. Understanding was the first step, but using it in practice was a different matter altogether. After some more explanations, Albus gave them a simple training task: try to cast the levitation charm wandlessly on a pencil or a similar object. He expected them to need the rest of the vacation or even longer to master even that simple charm without using wands.

They tried a few times that evening, but got no results. It frustrated Hermione, which actually amused Harry. "The headmaster said he wasn't sure we weren't too young to even try it. You can't expect to master it in one evening."

Hermione didn't reply. She only shot him a look that said 'You should have known better'.

Harry didn't sleep well that night. Hermione was upset by his behavior and refused to let him hug her, and he could no longer sleep without hugging his wife. Instead, he contemplated all the explanations and all that they had tried. He felt that he should be able to find the crucial point, and then everything will flow freely. It just alluded him.

They tried again after breakfast. Hermione was soon getting annoyed by her lack of success. Harry was paying her close attention. "I believe you should try and direct your magic to the tips of your fingers instead of your hand," he commented after a while.

"If you're so smart, why don't you try it for a change?" she retorted.

Harry didn't hesitate. "Wingardium Leviosa," he said. Pointing his finger at the pencil and trying to direct his magic into that finger's tip.

The pencil moved a bit. It wasn't a real success yet, but it was much more than Hermione had managed to achieve.

She seemed somewhat offended. 'Please, love, don't feel bad about it. I've just spent half the night thinking of this problem, not being able to fall asleep without your hug,' Harry told her silently.

Hermione tried once again, under Harry's silent guidance. It was not an immediate success, but an hour later they both could levitate any object without using a wand.

Encouraged by their success, they tried other spells as well. "Lumos" proved quite easy, although it looked spooky, having a finger glowing brightly. By the end of the day they were even able to disarm each other without a wand. Harry got a hug and a kiss from his wife, with a promise for more to come after they retired for the night.

When the headmaster visited once again, a few days later, Hermione brought the tea-kettle by levitating it, while Harry brought the cups the same way, yet no wands were present. Albus could hardly hold his surprise.

"Have you tried other charms as well?" he asked.

"We've gone over the whole list of charms and spells that we know and tried every one of them that would not cause irreparable damage. We can now do them all wandlessly," Harry informed him proudly. Hermione just nodded.

The headmaster had a hard time keeping his face neutral. He knew both were talented, yet this was much more than he could justly expect. Was it another effect of the bond? He didn't want them to become too confident. Still he needed to train them further.

"Then, it's time to learn silent casting", Albus said. He spent the rest of his visit going into the very details of the theory behind silent casting as well as the ways to use it. Despite his previous doubts, he was now quite confident that his students would master this technique before the end of the vacation.

Sirius was not aware of these lessons, so when he disarmed Harry during training, being sure this would end the duel, he was surprised when a red stunner came to him from Harry's direction, although he hadn't heard a sound and he was holding Harry's wand. They told him of their new knowledge after reviving him. Sirius was deeply impressed. He had never mastered either of these techniques. "Your mother could sometimes do it, but it required her deep concentration," he told Harry, "and your father failed at it every time, like I did."

He was now forced to think much more creatively in order to train the children. He was actually amazed at how childish they could both be at times, and how mature they would be just moments later, yet he couldn't ignore the fact that their powers were stretching his almost to the limit. He could still teach them new spells and new uses for the spells they already knew, but he was losing more duels than he was winning, and he could no longer win when dueling them both together.

They were only able to meet Ron a few days before the end of August, shopping for their books in Diagon Alley. They didn't tell him about the new techniques they had learned or abut their magical training. They only told him about their training with Dave, as they couldn't really hide the results: both were now significantly more muscular than when he last saw them and Harry looked much stronger and healthier as well. Even Mrs. Weasley commented, "You seem to be well cared for by your new in-laws."

Harry and Hermione thought of buying only one set of books, but then decided to buy two, so that they would not attract any more attention by using one book for them both, although by now it was clearly redundant, as each could see what the other was seeing whenever they wanted. Actually, blocking information from each other was their main concern, being unable to surprise their mates or even keep the most innocent secrets to themselves.

Ron was oblivious to this, as usual. He was full of stories about Bill, about Egypt and about all that he had seen and heard (and eaten). He was also excited to retell the story of Peter's capture. He was not interested to hear about their visit to the French Riviera or to Paris, and the Disney parks, lacking real magic, seemed to leave him indifferent. Harry didn't tell him about their attire at the Riviera, or Ron might have been more interested.

It was a pleasant day. They bought their books first, Hermione finding several more books of interest which were not on the list. They then spent some time at the ice-cream parlor, where they were soon joined by Neville, who seemed genuinely glad to see them and was interested to hear about where they got their nice tan.

It was especially nice not seeing many of the arrogant Slytherins who had previously used to bother them. Some left the country, while others were still dealing with their parents' imprisonment or pending trials.

They also got themselves new robes and uniforms, enhanced with growing spells to still fit them by the end of the school year. Harry supplemented these by a visit to a muggle shopping area, where Hermione bought some more clothing, including some undergarments which made Harry blush repeatedly. She also insisted on buying him some more clothes. "As Lord Potter you should always be well dressed," she explained, easily overcoming his objections.

They had a long discussion the night before returning to school.

"Why don't they leave me alone? I just want to be Harry, to live my life normally."

"You can never be 'just Harry', dear. Not only are you 'The Boy Who Lived', which makes you famous for something you had no control of, but you are also a hero for what you actually did: you fought a mountain troll in your first year and later defeated Quirrel and Voldemort, then you killed a Basilisk, saving a young girl from death, defeating Voldemort once more just a few months ago. Not much later, we had become the youngest soul-bound couple known. Add your family's fortunes and your political and financial influence to that and you can see why you can never be 'just Harry' for the magical populace."

"Then what should I do?" As usual, he was seeking Hermione's advice.

"Use your fame and your position to achieve your goals, or, as the saying goes, 'if you can't beat them – join them'."

Harry didn't like the idea.

"Don't you see," Hermione tried again, "You can use your power for good deeds. Let's start with school. We can make some changes there, you know."

"What do you mean? What kind of changes?"

Hermione smiled internally. She managed to pique his interest in the right direction. "How about Snape?"

Harry snorted. "Do you think Dumbledore will sack him just because we want him to?"

"Not exactly, but we may force him to see Snape as he really is. As powerful as Dumbledore is, you are more powerful and more influential. Do you remember the alliance vows we've seen in your vault?"

"**Our** vault," Harry corrected her automatically. "What are those documents worth, if anything at all?"

"They are magically enforced. Once you ask those families to side with you on whatever issue, they don't really have a choice. Then there are some who would support you even without such vows: Longbottom, Bones and Black, to name a few. You can easily pass any legislation in the wizengamot even without being present there. Now, with Malfoy and his cronies out of the way, you can even control the school board."

Harry needed a few moments to grasp this. "So... we can really make a change..." He smiled at her. "I may eventually like it, you know?"

Harry and Hermione who boarded the Hogwarts express on the first day of September were very different people than the ones who left it merely two months earlier. They were more powerful, both physically and magically; they were fitter, more confident and much more a couple.

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	17. Chapter 17 First Week

**17. First Week**

Harry was sitting on the bed in their Hogwarts apartment, waiting for Hermione to finish her nightly ritual. Ever since the visit to the cosmetic shops in Paris she became aware of the need to care for her skin. She still didn't use makeup, although most of the girls her age did, but she was now addicted to the cleansing ritual each evening.

He was contemplating the events of the day, still not fully understanding. _Their train ride started normally. They were joined by Ron, Ginny and Neville in their compartment and chatted happily most of the way, until the train stopped suddenly and they were feeling cold. Harry couldn't remember well what had happened next. Something caused him to faint, after making him hear his mother crying, trying to save him from Voldemort. He then awakened to see a very worried Hermione and an adult stranger standing behind her, looking just as worried._

"_This is Professor Lupin," Hermione made the introductions after he was sitting back in his place and they were all eating large pieces of chocolate, courtesy of the stranger. "There were dementors on the train, causing the chill and making you faint, and he used a Patronus charm to make them flee."_

"_Dementors? Here?" He had read about them, or was it Hermione? Anyway, he knew these foul creatures were only allowed in Azkaban, to guard the most evil wizards, but nowhere else._

"_They seem to be looking for an escaped murderer," Lupin told him, "Peter Pettigrew. He escaped last night and the ministry is adamant at finding him." The disgust in Lupin's voice was clear._

_Once he made sure that Harry was fine, Lupin returned to his compartment, leaving them alone, yet Harry had another surprise as soon as he arrived at Hogwarts. "Lord Potter, Lady Potter – I want to see you both!" Professor McGonagall said._

_They followed her to her office. "I've managed to secure this for you," she told Hermione, "but I'll be much happier if you don't use it, Lady Potter."_

_Hermione looked at Harry, who didn't seem to have a clue. "I thank you, professor, and I believe we may manage without the use of a time-turner. You see, Harry has agreed to change his electives, so that we shall be able to squeeze in most of the lessons without using a time-turner. We may need to drop Care for Magical Creatures, though."_

"_Hagrid may be offended," Harry noted._

_She turned her gaze back to him. "Haven't we discussed this already?"_

_He just shrugged._

"_Well, I'll take Arithmancy, while Harry will take Ancient Runes," Hermione said, checking the schedules on her parchment as they rearranged themselves. "I'll drop Divination, though, and... I'll hate to do it, but I may have to drop Muggle Studies as well, although I still intend to go to as many of the lessons as I can, and then Harry can keep Care for Magical Creatures, but I'll have to drop it."_

_She checked the parchment once again, finding no more clashing lessons._

"_I think we will not need it after all. With our bond, whatever one studies is good for the other as well. It's a pity we still need to practice independently."_

_The professor looked at Harry questioningly. "Do you agree to these changes?"_

"_Sure! We have discussed things over and agreed of these changes before we boarded the train. I was just worried about Hagrid being offended..."_

"_Very well then. Now, let's join the feast, if you don't mind."_

_They had another talk with the professor as soon as the feast was over. "I need to show you to your new apartment," McGonagall told them. She led them to the Gryffindor common room and stopped in front of a large statue which stood between the stairs to the girls' dormitories and the ones to the boys'. "The password is 'soul bond'," she told them, as the statue turned to reveal another staircase, this one going down. "You should change it from within later, yet the Headmaster and his Deputy can always come and check on you, just to make sure everything is in order."_

_Once they reached their apartment, she showed them everything and then bid them goodnight. This was not the same apartment they had first used, but being part of the Gryffindor tower it allowed them to stay close to their friends. They could even invite anybody they wanted into their apartment, as explained._

Hermione was finally out of the bathroom, her face sparkling clean. "Harry, I think we should learn the patronus charm. As the ministry seems to want the dementors here until they catch Pettigrew, we should better be able to protect ourselves against them."

"Are you sure? This is only taught at fifth or sixth year, as younger students are not supposed to be able to perform it," Harry asked. He had this knowledge from her, actually.

She looked amused. "Well, we've mastered wandless and silent casting, which many adults don't. Why should this be any different?"

Harry shrugged. He knew better than to argue with Hermione, especially since he could now sense all her thoughts, making arguing unnecessary. Even talking was mostly redundant, but they kept talking out of habit and not wanting their classmates to look weirdly at them.

"So, how do you suggest we learn it?"

"We may ask Professor Lupin or the Headmaster, and if we find nobody to help us, I'm sure there's a book in the library..."

Harry chuckled. It was purely Hermione, looking for answers in the library, although he had to admit she had a point there. More than a point, really. Since being together, he had found how much knowledge could be gained from books, even ones not intended for school. He wouldn't admit it, but he was now a book worm almost as much as Hermione.

Hermione's thoughts were drifting already in a different direction. "I think we need to christen this room. Don't you agree, my dear husband?"

Her tone left no doubts about her intentions, even had he been unable to sense her thoughts. He grinned as she let her towel fall, baring herself for him, and then they held hands and walked to their new bed.

It was early the next morning. The sun had barely risen when the sound was heard.

"Wake up, sleepy head!"

"Mmmm..." responded Harry.

"Wake up! Time for our daily exercise," Hermione insisted.

Harry only put the pillow over his head, trying to get a bit more sleep.

"You have sixty seconds to get out of bed, or else... you'll regret it."

Hermione started counting the seconds sternly. Harry knew better than to check her threat. At fifty-five he was already sitting, and four seconds later he was standing beside the bed, not really awake yet, but not sleeping anymore.

"I'll let it pass this time. You'll only have thirty seconds tomorrow," Hermione informed him in a commanding tone.

"Can you remind me why we have to wake up at such ungodly hour?" he moaned.

"I just happen to love the way you look now, after starting exercising, and I don't like the idea of letting you change back to how you looked before. So, hurry up, we still need to shower after our exercise, before going for breakfast."

The cold morning air removed the remaining sleepiness from Harry. Wearing training suits, they first did some stretching and warming exercises and then ran three laps around the lake. Once done they did a few relaxation and cool-down exercises, before jogging at a comfortable pace back to the Gryffindor tower.

As they entered the common room they noticed Neville lying on the couch. He seemed surprised to see them coming in this early in the morning.

"Why were you outside?" he asked.

"Just doing our new daily routine: some physical exercise to help build our body before we feed our minds," Hermione explained.

"Do you mind if I join you? I think it can do me some good," Neville asked, looking down his chubby form.

"We'd love it. You can join us, starting tomorrow morning at half past six," Hermione said.

"Thanks. I'll make sure to be ready. Actually, I find it quite difficult to sleep in our dorm lately. Once Ron starts snoring, I lose any hope for a peaceful night.

Hermione looked at Harry, conversing silently. "You may stay with us at such times. There's a spare room you can use."

"Are you sure?... I mean, thank you! You're great friends!"

The first day of term went quite nicely. Harry took Divination, which he soon found out to be practically a fraud. Hermione's silent laughter, which he could sense in his mind, just helped him realize this sooner, but even Ron arrived at the same conclusion. It just took him much longer.

Hermione found her Arithmancy lesson extremely interesting, though. It included a lot of math and logic, at which she excelled, combined with some fundamentals of magic. Harry could follow most of the lesson through her, but he couldn't really understand anything at first, yet relying on Hermione's knowledge he eventually started understanding and even finding it interesting, although he would have never tried to study it on his own.

Hermione was also monitoring Harry's Divination lesson in the background and what she saw didn't help in raising her appreciation for the school.

They both found that Divination didn't give their minds any real occupation, enabling them to concentrate on Arithmancy. Harry was quite sure that had he been in Transfiguration or Charms he would have been unable to divide his attention without incurring unpleasant consequences. He knew they would have to discus it further and find a way to block their impressions from flowing to their mates, or risk losing their concentration when they needed it most.

Neville joined them the next morning. They also tried to make Ron join, but he wouldn't hear of getting out of bed before seven thirty. Neville had no problem with the warming exercises, but once they started jogging it became very clear that he was a few levels below the couple. They slowed down to a pace that was hardly faster than walking, yet Neville was exhausted by the time they finished one round, plopping down on the grass, trying to give his muscles a rest.

"Neville, if you stay that way you'll suffer cramps throughout the whole day. You must do some cooling down exercises. Just walk slowly around this boulder, while we do two more laps, and then we shall all do the other exercises together," Hermione told him.

"Two... More?..." Neville sounded incredulous.

"We'll see you in a few minutes," Harry told him, before they sprinted away. Neville had hardly caught his breath when they finished the second round.

"How can you look so fresh after three rounds of the lake?" he asked.

"I'm sure you'll do just as well in a few weeks. I'm not sure that I could do as much as you've just done when we started the summer vacation," Harry told him.

The next Muggle Studies lesson didn't clash with any other lesson. Hermione took it, but didn't really enjoy it. She found it almost a century behind its time. It was still dealing with steam powered trains and gas lighting with radio transmission being the latest innovation mentioned. Not a word was said about electronics, airplanes, private cars and certainly none about computers and Internet. It was a complete fiasco, as far as she could judge it.

Defense lessons proved to be a major improvement. Professor Lupin knew his stuff well and was very good at teaching and making the students pay attention. The first lesson was actually an eye-opener for Harry and Hermione, being able to learn something for a change.

Harry wasn't surprised when Professor Lupin asked him to stay after the lesson. Hermione stayed as well. The Professor raised a brow but said nothing about it.

"Mr. Potter, I've seen your reaction to the presence of dementors and I would like to help you with that. Considering your past, it is quite understandable why your reaction was so strong."

Harry wasn't sure he understood. Professor Lupin saw his confusion and explained. "Dementors are the foulest creatures I know of. They strive on people's happiness, sucking it all out, letting their victims relive the worst memories of their lives. Do you mind telling me what you saw or heard before fainting?"

It was clear that the Professor only wanted to help, yet Harry was still a bit reluctant.

"I'm not aware of your life after the end of that war, but I suspect that your worst memory would be that Halloween night..." the Professor said encouragingly.

"Well, I heard a woman's voice saying 'not the child' and pleading for her baby to be spared and then there was a green flash. Could that be my mother?"

Lupin's face was showing his concern. "Yes, Harry, that was Lilly, your mother, and the green flash was the killing curse..."

Lupin's eyes were suddenly wet, and Harry could feel Hermione hugging him and whispering in his mind 'I'm here for you. You'll never be alone again.'

"There's only one spell to get rid of dementors," Lupin continued after wiping his eyes. "It is the Patronus charm and it's quite difficult. I'm willing to teach you, but I'm not sure you can master it, as even many adult wizards find it too difficult."

"Thank you, Professor. I appreciate your concern," Harry replied.

"That's the least I can do for my best-friends' child."

"You knew my parent?" Harry was surprised and elated. He could now learn some more about his parents.

"I knew them very well, and I also knew you when you were just a baby. I was a very good friend with your father first, and when your parents began dating, your mother joined our small group and became just as good a friend. We called ourselves 'The Marauders' and enjoyed doing many things together."

"Who were the other members of the group?" Harry asked. He thought that he already knew, but he wanted to make sure.

"Well, there was James, of course – your father; then there was Sirius who was like James' brother in anything but blood, and Peter..." His face was showing his pain at recalling the memory.

"I don't think Sirius ever talked about you, sir. I would have remembered."

Remus smiled. "We didn't usually use our real names. Your Dad was 'Prongs', Sirius was 'Padfoot', Peter was 'Wormtail' and they called me 'Moony'. We never got to name your mother differently, though."

"Yes, Sirius told us a lot about Moony. So – that's you? How come you didn't visit him since he was released?"

"I've been out of the country most of the time since that fateful night. I only came back in time for the start of term."

"We should tell Sirius, I think."

Remus looked at him questioningly. "Why are you talking about 'we' and 'us'? Do you have any connection with Miss Granger here?"

Harry took her hand proudly. "We are soul-bound, which make us married. She is now Lady Potter."

It was a very happy Harry who left the class a few minutes later. He was happy to have such a good teacher, happy to find another friend of his parents and happy to start learning the patronus charm

His happiness held till after lunch, when they went to the History of Magic lesson. Despite Hermione's nagging, he couldn't keep his eyes open more than five minutes into the lesson. Even Hermione, as determined as she was, had to fight to keep her eyes open, only slipping into short dozing once or twice during the lecture. "These lessons are useless," she told Harry as they left class an hour later. "Nobody can really learn with this teacher, and most don't even try, yet it is very important to know what happened in the past to avoid repeating mistakes."

"Yea, we should only make new mistakes," Harry replied, gaining him a slap on his arm.

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	18. Chapter 18 Setting it Right

**18. Setting it Right**

Potions class posed no surprises. Snape was his usual self, acting nastily and deducting points for no reason at all. While Harry was collecting the ingredients for the potion they were working on, Snape started berating the way he cut the roots, squeezed the juices and crushed the grains. Harry fought hard to keep himself from replying, yet he couldn't mask the frustration on his face. That was enough for Snape to deduct "ten points for making inappropriate faces".

Harry had enough. He stood up and declared: "You know that I should be addressed as Lord Potter by my lesser. I will no longer tolerate the disrespect you are constantly showing and would not allow you to continue deducting points for ridiculous reasons while giving points to your house for just as ridiculous causes."

Snape was fuming. "How dare you? You'll serve detention with me for the rest of the month!"

"No, I won't! You have no right to treat me the way you've been doing for two years and it ends now!"

Snape's complexion was becoming as red as uncle Vernon's. "I'll make sure you are expelled, Potter. Come with me to the headmaster **NOW**!"

"It's **Lord** Potter for you, and I intended to go to the Headmaster to ask for your sacking anyway. Let's go!"

Snape's hand was trembling near his wand. He seemed to need all his remaining self control to refrain from hexing Harry. He failed to notice Hermione watching them closely with her wand ready and then collecting her things and following the two of them out of the class.

Dumbledore was as cordial as ever. "Good day Severus, Lord and Lady Potter. What made me eligible for your company this fine morning?"

Snape was so angry that he was unable to even talk coherently. "This brat... He has no respect... Just like his father..."

Dumbledore chuckled in dismay. "Severus, it is very unwise to speak that way of young Lord Potter. He's a student here, I know, but he also controls a large portion of the magical economy, which you should know just as well, and as the head of A Most Noble And Ancient Family, he has a legal standing much surpassing yours and even mine. I would suggest you stay in his good books, although I doubt you've ever made it there."

This muted Snape for awhile, letting Harry talk. "This so-called Professor has not taught us a thing about potions. All he does is present the recipe and then belittle every non-Slytherin student present, deducting points randomly and awarding points to his house for just living. I want to learn potions, so it is either Snape changes his behavior completely, which I doubt he can do, or a new professor for Potions. Either way, I can't respect him until he proves worthy."

The headmaster glanced at Hermione. "Do you have anything to add, Lady Potter?"

"I must say that Harry was using very mild terms describing the situation. I would have used much bolder ones."

Snape looked paler than usual. The situation, which he had believed to have been in his hand, was slipping out of control and he didn't like the direction it was heading.

"Well, Severus, care to explain your behavior?" the headmaster prompted.

Snape held his lips closed tight. He knew there was no justification for his behavior, although nobody had challenged it for almost twelve years.

Dumbledore studied him, as if trying to find more information by just looking at him. "Now, Severus. I'm sure you can give a perfectly good explanation for your behavior, can't you?"

The silence stayed deafening.

"Oh, well," Albus finally spoke. "I'll have every point you deduct or award be checked by the other heads of houses, as well as any detentions. Any unjustifiable action will be reversed. As for your teaching methods... I believe we should discuss it later in private. Would immediately after dinner be acceptable?"

Snape just nodded and left the room.

"I think this kind of conversation is long overdue," Hermione noted.

Albus sighed. "You're probably right, Lady Potter, yet I had my reasons to keep him here. I should have paid more attention to his teaching methods, though. He's still one of the most brilliant potion masters, you must know."

"He may be, but that doesn't necessarily make him an acceptable teacher."

Dumbledore was thinking once again, realizing how much he let slip, not caring for the school the way he should.

"Are there other subjects I should have been aware of?" he asked in a small voice.

"Divination is a bad joke," Hermione told him. "That professor and her class are a fraud, worse than our last year's defense class. I don't believe anything taught in that class is even slightly worthy. There may be something to Divination, but that teacher is useless in passing that information."

Albus felt as if he was punched in the face. He should have known better. He knew Professor Trelawney was no good as a teacher, even if she had prophecised once or twice. He wasn't quite sure these prophecies were real.

"Then there's Muggle Studies," Hermione continued. "It's even worse. The muggle world they discuss there has ceased to exist long ago. It has no relevance to current technology and lifestyles in the muggle world."

"Care to elaborate?"

"First: the teacher is a pureblood who had not spent a single day in muggle world. The books have been outdated even before I was born and there's practically nothing in them still relevant to modern life."

"Are you sure? I don't remember seeing anything much different to those books when I last visited Muggle London."

"When was it?"

"Shortly after defeating Grindewald, in the forties."

"Fifty years ago? That's two generations of rapid changes that you've missed. Are you aware of supersonic aircraft? Of high-speed trains? Of highways? Of advanced Electronics? Of computers?" Hermione was now in her lecture mode, with so much conviction in her words, that her body was magically glowing. Dumbledore was almost frightened by the raw magical power exhibited.

"We really need to update that lesson as well. I'll have it checked and revised as necessary. Anything else?"

"Yes. Professor Binns. His lessons are as dead as he is. I believe he should finally realize that he no longer belongs here and let somebody more substantial teach us history, without making everybody fall asleep."

"He was quite a good teacher when I was a student," Albus noted.

"He was also alive at the time, wasn't he?"

Albus smiled in agreement. "I'll need to tell him to go on, start the next big adventure. Anything else?"

Hermione calmed down a bit. "Well, Astronomy has also advanced a lot, although I'm not sure how much of it is relevant to our courses. It would still be helpful to give the teacher some experience with modern astronomy and find some advanced textbooks for her on the subject, even if these have no immediate effect on the lessons."

"I'm sure she would like your idea," Dumbledore said kindly. "Now. If there's nothing else you want to discuss, I believe you've given me enough to occupy me for quite awhile."

Harry recognized the dismissal and they both left.

The news about the confrontation with Snape traveled like fire in dry woods. Snape could not be seen during lunch, making the rumors rise higher, nor during dinner, when everybody was whispering and pointing at the Potters, most with admiration.

Albus was feeling awful. Ever since the Potters' bonding he was discovering how badly he'd been acting in his roles as headmaster and as chief warlock and he was very displeased with himself. He was constantly thinking of how he should have acted instead. Now, this new event was really bothering. He should have actually been expecting it. Minerva was telling him for years of how badly Severus was treating the students, yet he put it all to her dislike of the man. He should have paid her more attention and he should have checked the way each teacher was awarding and deducting house-points. While each had their preferences, such blatant discrimination was not allowed. He had already interrogated several students about the potions class, as well as Divination and Muggle Studies. They only confirmed and enhanced what he had heard earlier, giving him practically no choice but to act.

He first talked with the Astronomy teacher. This was easy, really, as she was eager to learn about all the advances in muggle astronomy and even added her own suggestions. They decided she would spend a day each week with her muggle counterparts and she was also allotted some funds for a few new astronomy books. She was very pleased when she left the room.

The muggle studies teacher wasn't as cooperative at first. She found it hard to believe that muggles could have changed so much, as the magical society was practically the same as it had been a century earlier. Albus had to send her on a forced vacation for a week in a muggle resort, advising her to first have a few conversations with muggle-born students so she could blend in a bit easier. The prospect of a paid vacation was too much to resist, of course.

Severus was a different ballgame. He was too smart for his own good, being excellent at devising excuses for his inappropriate behavior, yet Albus couldn't just sack him. Despite being a deplorable man, Severus had played a crucial role during the war against Voldemort, and Albus felt he had a debt of honor to care for Severus. Yet this could not be allowed to happen on the account of the innocent students. Albus had checked all the records of point management and of detentions for the years since Severus started teaching, wondering why he hadn't done it more routinely, and was no longer surprised to find that the complaints didn't even show the true level of discrimination exercised by the potions teacher.

"I've been covering your deeds for too long, Severus. I should have not done it at all, to be true, but I can't continue doing it. You don't have to like the students, although that may help, but you must start teaching in earnest, explaining why certain things happen and how to properly prepare ingredients, to name just two topics. You must also control your temper. These are children who know nothing to start with. It is your duty to teach them, not to expect them to know beforehand and certainly not to berate them for being who they are – children who need to be taught. Am I clear?"

Severus only nodded. While he still loathed that insufferable brat and his mudblood friend – now wife, he knew his feelings were unjustified. Harry wasn't James, yet he couldn't control these feelings, not that he had tried much.

"I believe you are an excellent potion master and it would be a pity if you'll have to leave your position, but if you want to keep it, you must change and become the great teacher you can be. I'm sure you can make them see the challenges in potion brewing, the glory it can bring them and the usefulness of many potions. You can make Potions become a class they will gladly attend, but you must change your attitude in order to achieve this. Will you do it?"

Snape crunched his teeth. "I can only try."

"You've faced harder tasks than this. You can succeed, I'm sure," Albus told him encouragingly. "I suggest you take the rest of the week off, think about the changes you will do and recall your promise to protect Lilly's child. I hope to see you back Monday morning with a new determination and attitude."

Severus only nodded. He knew that Albus had been generous. He could have sacked him without a second thought had he wanted to. As a marked death-eater he was lucky to be free, and even as an ex-spy, nobody owed him anything by now, so he was glad he was given another chance. He wasn't sure he could take it, though.

By the time Professor Trelawney reached the headmaster's office, she was in no state for a conversation. She had already drunk too much to be able to understand what he was talking. He just told her that she should quit drinking while not on vacation and that he needed to talk with her once she was sober. He then ordered the house-elves to remove any liquor from her quarters,

He left sacking Binns last, feeling uneasy about telling his own professor it was time to leave, yet this proved to be easier than expected.

"I've noticed that most students find your lectures extremely boring," he told Binns.

"They all fall asleep. Only Miss... Graner, I think, manages to stay awake just barely."

"You mean Miss Granger, the new Lady Potter, I believe," Albus corrected him.

"Yes, that one. Well, I can't use my voice the same way I've been doing it while I still had a body. I do believe my usefulness here has come to its end."

"What do you mean?" This was a new attitude coming from the ghost.

"I suggest you find a new History Professor, and then I'll be free to go and join my ancestors."

Albus was quite glad that he didn't have to sack the ghost professor. "Thank you, Kuthbert. I think I'll follow your advice."

"Next Friday we have the first Hogsmeade weekend!" Harry told Hermione after glancing at the announcement hung near the great hall entrance.

"We didn't give my parents the papers to sign!" Hermione was heading into panic mode, but Harry stopped her.

"We're emancipated, don't you remember? We are our own guardians in the magical world."

She was back to normal now. "Of course, we are already married."

"Don't you feel like we've missed something?" he asked.

"What?" Hermione was somewhat bewildered.

"Courting, dating, the excitement of the first date..."

"We had more than our share of excitement," Hermione noted, "and even as a couple we still had the excitement of the first time we shared bath and bed, our first kiss, our first..."

"You forgot the bond itself, which is also a unique experience," he smiled at her.

"Well, you can see that whatever we lacked in one direction we more than compensated in others. Why have you even raised the subject?"

Harry smiled sheepishly. "I was thinking... We may just pretend to be dating when we go to Hogsmeade. We won't have any doubts about our feelings, but it may make our dating even better. What do you say?"

"I love your idea, Lord Potter. I think I may agree to date you..."

He could sense that she wanted to kiss him, but it was inappropriate there and then, so she just took his hand and brushed it against her lips.

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	19. Chapter 19 The Chamber

**19. The Chamber**

"Harry, can you show me the Chamber of Secrets?"

Harry was surprised by Hermione's question. He was currently busy with his Ancient Runes homework, as Hermione had already done it the previous evening, although she didn't officially take the course.

"Why would you want to see it?"

"Well..." Hermione faked deep thinking. "I'd like to see what the Basilisk really looked like, without fearing petrification or worse. Then, there's the small matter of seeing where somebody I really care for risked his life to save an innocent girl. I also thought that the Chamber of **Secrets **may hold more than one secret, and some may be of interest."

It was like persuading a child to take some sweets. Despite his initial hesitation, Harry was quite enthusiastic for the chance to show her exactly what he had done and where he had fought.

"Would tomorrow after breakfast be all right?" It was the weekend, so they didn't have classes.

"It would be perfect!" she told him, hugging him tightly, his head resting against her breasts.

They reached the right floor soon after breakfast and went into Myrtle's bathroom. The ghost was sitting on a sink, seemingly deep in thought.

"Good morning, Myrtle," they both said.

"Oh, it's you!" Myrtle seemed startled out of her musings.

"Yes, it's me and my good friend Hermione. You remember her, don't you?"

"Welcome, Lord and Lady Potter." She smirked seeing Harry's surprise. "News travels fast, don't you think?"

"Well... probably," Harry admitted.

"What brought you here? You're not here to use the toilets, I presume."

Hermione answered this time. "I asked him to show me the Chamber of Secrets and the corpse of the Basilisk. Do you know the way?"

Myrtle seemed startled. "I've never been there, but I know that the redhead girl didn't use the tube behind the sink, as Harry did. She just went into that stall over there, yet I've been too frightened to follow her."

They went to the mentioned stall and found a serpent engraving on the wall, behind the toilet seat.

"How would you open it?" Hermione asked.

"I'll just command it to open," Harry shrugged.

"Just like this? _$Open!$_" The last word was hissed in parseltongue.

"Hermione! You never told me you could speak that way!" Harry expressed his surprise.

"I never could. This seems to come from our bond, I believe."

While they were talking, the toilet seat and the wall behind it slid into the floor, revealing a wide staircase leading down. It was covered with thick dust, accentuating a set of small footprints leading down.

"We should be careful. There must be some traps here," Hermione said.

"I think Tom directed Ginny around them. See how those footprints go aside at several places?" Harry noted.

"We shall also need some light," Hermione noted. "I believe the entrance will close as soon as we go in."

They did just that, Hermione lighting the tip of her wand with the _Lumos_ spell. Following the previous footsteps, they encountered no perils and eventually emerged into the corridor where the tube had deposited Ron and Harry a few months earlier, on the other side of the cave-in.

Hermione looked at it wide-eyed. "This could have killed you!" she said, holding Harry's hand tighter.

"Shouldn't we try and repair it?" he suggested.

She took a few calming breathes first. "Yes, I believe we can do it."

Using some of the spells that they had learned during the summer, they attacked the collapsed area and it soon turned back into walls and ceilings of the underground corridor. Hermione also added a few strengthening spells to be on the safe side.

They continued walking towards the chamber. Hermione gasped when she saw the empty skin in the corridor. It looked immense when lighted only by her wand, yet she knew the Basilisk must have been even larger. After walking silently for another short while they arrived at the door of the chamber.

"_$Open!$_" Harry hissed, making the serpent locks click open and the round door swing aside.

The corpse of the Basilisk was still there, not even starting to decay. Hermione looked at it with mouth agape. She had seen all of Harry's memories of the event, yet seeing it with her own eyes gave her a new sense of size. Without the fear and the urgency of the fight, which had changed the perceived sizes of everything, she could now see things as they were. The Basilisk, while extremely long, wasn't as thick as it originally seemed. A few broken fangs were scattered near its head, yet she knew better than to touch them. The eye sockets were empty and covered with congealed blood, but the giant serpent still looked menacing, as if it could wake any moment.

Once they inspected the Basilisk corpse, Hermione looked around, trying to find anything of interest. There were no visible doors or openings in any of the walls, except for the entrance door and the hole through which the Basilisk had come, in Slytherin's statue mouth. The chamber looked gloomy despite the many torches that had lighted as soon as they came in.

"There must be something more to this place," she murmured, "I can just feel it!"

They started checking the walls and the pillars for any sign that might lead them to further discoveries, aided by light from their wands. They found nothing, which made Hermione very frustrated. Leaning on the pedestal of the statue they considered the idea of climbing up and checking behind the statue's mouth. Harry pushed against the pedestal to move away, when he felt a slight dip.

"I may have found something," he said, turning to check that point. There were several depressions near the top of the pedestal, creating a few flower-like decorations, yet the central depression of the rightmost flower seemed different. Harry tried to press it. There was a minute movement, like a push-button, but nothing happened.

"Maybe it uses some kind of password?" suggested Hermione.

"I don't think so, but it may expect some kind of command."

Harry pushed the button once more, saying "_$Open!$_" at the same time. Still nothing. "_$Reveal!$_" he tried a different command.

This time it worked. Shimmering lines appeared along the walls, soon turning into a multitude of book-shelves. A fireplace appeared in each corner with a cozy sitting area in front of each, including a sofa, a few couches and a desk with a chair.

Hermione's eyes lighted at the sight of these books. The shelves seemed to contain almost as many books as the whole Hogwarts library. Walking along the shelves she could see that they were arranged according to subjects and then alphabetically, by authors. A full wall was dedicated to Dark Arts, yet many of the books on this wall were actually dealing with ways to use the so-called dark magic in healing and other beneficial activities.

Harry noticed a parchment laid open on one desk. Still fearing some traps, he approached it cautiously and only read it without touching. _"If you are reading this, it means that the magic I've left in the chamber has found you worthy and revealed it to you. As such, you are now my spiritual heir, having access to all the knowledge I've stored here for most of my life. You are to use this knowledge for the benefit of the wizading folks, paying special attention to muggle-born and half-blood__, as they are usually the most powerful and the least knowledgeable of our kind."_

Harry lifted his eyes, noticing Hermione was walking towards him, fully aware of his find. He held her hand as she approached and continued reading.

"_I know I may have gained some very bad reputation after my death. I've been experimenting with some dark rituals, trying to find a beneficial use for them, and one of them backfired on me. I've removed the books dealing with it from this room and burned them, but I couldn't reverse the effect. It will drive me crazy in a short while and then I'll probably become a menace, yet I can't kill myself to prevent this, as the magic of that ritual wouldn't allow it."_

They exchanged glances, being aware of each-other's thoughts and feelings even without words.

"_Whoever you are, use this knowledge wisely and try to help as many people, whether magical or muggle, as you can. Avoid the Dark Arts as much as possible, but don't shy away when one of these can help at an otherwise unsolvable situation. Do try to add to the knowledge stored here to be discovered by the next worthy person a few years after you're gone or many generations later."_

There was no way to mistake the ornate signature of Salazar Slytherin at the bottom.

"Shouldn't we tell somebody about this discovery?" Hermione asked.

"I'm not sure. It seems like only those deemed worthy are allowed in. Having the curiosity to look for this chamber is one of the qualities required. Another might be Parseltongue, although I'm not sure of it. There may be some other ways to reach the chamber and to activate its secrets." Harry thought a bit more. "I believe we should let the headmaster know about the Basilisk carcass, though. Some parts of it may be useful for potions, at the least."

"Yes, that should be beneficial, but how do we hide the other stuff?"

"Probably the same way we found it." Harry walked to the pedestal, pressed the button and hissed "_$Hide!$_"

The whole library and associated furniture faded away, leaving the blank walls visible again.

"Do you think that the house-elves can reach this room?" Harry asked.

"I'm quite sure they can, although they might need specific permission from the Heir-of-Slytherin." She said the last words with a smirk, reminding him of the accusations at the beginning of the previous year. Well, now he was officially Slytherin's spiritual heir.

"Let's try it," he said, and then called "Popsy!"

The house elf appeared immediately. "What can Popsy do for Master and Mistress?"

"Popsy, have you or any other house elf visited this room before?"

Popsy looked around and was frightened by the large serpent carcass. "No, Sir. Nobody knew of this room before you so bravely killed the snake and saved the girl, and nobody could come here until now, although we tried."

"Could you reach the corridor leading here?"

Popsy wasn't really sure. She popped to the door and looked around before answering. "Yes, once we knew it existed we cleaned it thoroughly. Leaving only the empty skin there. It's too big, and the Headmaster said to leave it."

"We used some stairs to come here. They are quite dusty, but there might be some traps there..."

"We House Elves can detect Wizard traps and remove them. Popsy can clean there, if master wants me to."

"I'd rather have them checked by the headmaster first, if you don't mind. I don't want you, or any other house elf for that matter, be harmed by these traps."

Popsy seemed unhappy at the lack of trust in her abilities, yet touched by the concern for her well-being.

"So, you want to salvage the carcass and use it for whatever it may be fit?" Dumbledore asked in a bemused tone, a bit later.

"Yes, sir. We know its venom is used in some healing potions and in some Goblin weapons, its skin can be used for gloves, much more resistant than dragon- hide gloves, as well as for other purposes; its blood and meat may be used for other potions and its scales and bones can be used for wands or powdered and used in yet other potions. We don't think it should be just left to rot."

The old man smiled. "It may take several centuries before it rots; several decades before it even starts decaying. Do you know how precious these items are?"

Harry shrugged. "It doesn't really matter. We don't need the extra money. Some of it should go to the school, I'm sure, and most can go to charity, like supporting a few orphanages."

"That will keep them going for a long time, you should know. How do you suggest to do the harvesting of the carcass?"

"I really don't know. I assume some specialists with adequate protection equipment should go there and do the work. We shall have to open the way for them, though."

"We?"

Harry blushed. "Well, it seems like the bond made us share this ability as well."

"I see. Is there another way in, one that doesn't involve going through that girls' bathroom?"

"The corridor seems to go somewhere, but we haven't checked it yet. We also think that the stairs may have some traps or other nasty surprises for intruders. These should be deactivated before work begins."

"Care to show me?"

They were soon back on the stairs starting at Myrtle's bathroom. Dumbledore went first, holding his wand alertly, as the young couple illuminated the area with wands. As expected. Each place where Ginny's footsteps went close to a wall, the rest was trapped. The headmaster disabled the most dangerous traps, leaving a few of the others active, "Just to scare off would-be intruders."

Once in the chamber, he was dumbstruck by the size of the Basilisk. It took him a few minutes to re-asses the situation. "This carcass, if properly harvested, could earn you more than a million Galleons, you must know," he finally said.

That was only a very small percentage of his holdings in the magical world. Harry was still firm in his idea of giving the money to charity, although such a big sum might need some supervising to assure it wasn't misused, he thought.

The headmaster looked around, noticing the bare walls and the large statue. "I wonder what he had in mind, building such a place and leaving it empty. He may have not finished it, I think..."

They then headed back to the corridor, after having spent enough time near the frightening serpent. Even Albus seemed to breathe more freely once that monster was out of sight.

"We can now check the rest of the corridor," he suggested, noticing the repair work done on the cave-in. The workmanship was excellent, and only some dirt on the floor helped him identify the place, yet he said noting to the youngsters. They seemed to become more powerful each day and more confident as well. He didn't think he needed to boost their ego any further by compliments.

The corridor seemed to curve and twist with no further entries. They walked on, finally reaching a dead-end, not getting any smarter.

"This doesn't seem right," Hermione noted. "I'm sure there's another exit. I even feel the air moving, yet I see nothing."

Harry started checking the walls by hand, as did Hermione. It took them a few frustrating minutes before Harry felt his hand sinking into the wall, as if it wasn't there.

"Here," he said, attracting the attention of the others.

"Let me check it first," Dumbledore said. "There may still be some traps here as well."

He stepped into the wall, similarly to the entrance to platform 9¾. A moment later they saw his hand sticking out of the wall as he called them to follow. This was a nice up-sloping corridor, ending behind a tapestry hung near the library.

"Well, this will certainly prove beneficial for hauling the harvested parts out," commented Dumbledore.

"Do you know whom to contact for the work?" Hermione asked.

"I believe the Goblins would be eager to help us, for a fee – of course."

Hermione smiled. "Of course."

They would not be able to use the chamber while the work on the carcass was taking place, yet the entry which was so conveniently set near the library was a blessing. Hermione couldn't justify staying in Myrtle's bathroom for hours, but nobody would question her going to the library, nor Harry going with her.

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**A.N.**

Somebody told me that Myrtle's Bathroom is on the SECOND FLOOR. I checked the books and found it on FIRST FLOOR. In orfer not to offend anyone, I changed the wording to "the right floor".


	20. Chapter 20 New and Old

**20. New and Old**

Snape surprised everybody, and probably himself as well. While he didn't change his character – he was still the same extremely unpleasant person, he started teaching in earnest. The first potions lesson they had after the blowout, Snape disregarded the Potters completely, yet he started the lesson by reciting security measures and explaining them, then by going over the ingredients of the potion they were expected to brew that day, explaining how each was contributing to the desired effect, and then he explained briefly the methods used in preparing the potion. With such detailed explanation, even Neville managed to brew a passable potion, earning him five points "for the most unexpected positive surprise".

Harvesting the Basilisk corpse proved to be a major project. As they found out, each and every part of it was highly sought out, so that nothing could really be discarded. This made the work of the Goblin team more tedious, yet it proved beneficial in more than one way. Even Snape got involved in this, doing the necessary tests to grade the venom, blood and meat for potency and freshness, finding them top grade, which meant even higher prices than initially estimated. For his help, Snape was allotted a small amount of each substance as more than just payment. Once it was over, more than two million galleons found their way into the Potter vault, and they also got some very elegant Basilisk-skin boots, gloves and jackets, courtesy of the goblins. They also advised him, "You should not to donate the whole sum at once, but rather make a fund of it, giving out the annual gains for charity, thus making it last much longer and helping many more people and institutes."

With all the other stuff going on, it was a wonder that Harry managed to squeeze in Quidditch training as well, but he did. The first match, originally set against Slytherin, was changed and it was against Hufflepuff. The team was ready, yet the weather was anything but cooperative. It was a cold, rainy and windy weekend, but that was no reason to reschedule the game.

A few minutes into the game, the weather got even worse. The rain was so dense that the players could hardly see each other and Harry's glasses were so full of water that they were useless, making him unable to see the snitch even if it presented itself in front of him.

Woods asked for a time-out, and Harry could hardly even hear the whistle due to the wind. Once down, Hermione came running to him, took his glasses and cast "Impervius!" on them to repel water. When he soared back to his post he was finally able to see a bit better.

A few minutes later he spotted the snitch. As he was racing towards it, the air became much colder and he could suddenly hear a woman's voice screaming. He already knew that effect and was ready for it, he hoped. He didn't even need his wand. He pointed his hand at the evil creatures and cast a patronus charm while recalling his first night with Hermione. A beautiful silvery stag emerged from his hand and charged towards the dementors.

The snitch had disappeared by then. Harry tried to grab his broom back. His fingers wouldn't respond. The damp broom, exposed to the cold brought by the dementors, was now frozen, and Harry's fingers were too numb from the cold to really hold it. Harry felt himself slipping down the broom, unable to hold onto its frozen surface.

Hermione sensed his panic rise and understood. She couldn't prevent the fall, but she could cushion it. Her wand flicked twice, making the air thicken into a kind of mattress where Harry was heading. She saw his fall slowed a bit and noticed the headmaster pointing his wand at Harry. She moved the cushion to intercept Harry at his new position.

Harry landed lightly, so it seemed. The slowing and the cushion helped, yet his lateral speed wasn't slowed enough. He slid along on the invisible mattress and only stopped when his head banged the wall of the changing rooms.

Harry woke up in the hospital wing, surrounded by the team. "Oh, Harry, I'm so sorry! I tried to stop your fall and failed to prevent your skidding," Hermione said, holding his hand tightly.

"Who won?" he asked, still unable to think of anything else.

Oliver Wood smiled at him. "We thought the game would be cancelled, but as the headmaster levitated you onto a stretcher, the snitch was discovered under your chest. We won!"

Harry was elated by this information, but he now recalled the reason for his fall. "What about the dementors?"

"Your patronus sent them all away. Where have you learned this spell? Nobody in my class can produce anything more than a silvery wisp," Wood asked.

"Professor Lupin gave me a few lessons," Harry said, glad that the rain masked the fact that he didn't use a wand.

Madam Pomfrey came out of her office and wasn't pleased to see the group around Harry. "Out! Leave him alone! The poor lad needs some rest and you are bothering him. Now out – all of you!"

The team left, but Hermione, along with Ron and Neville, didn't budge. "I'll stay with him until he can leave," Hermione insisted.

"Now, Lady Potter, I know you care for your husband, but there's really no reason for you to stay here. You should rest just as well. I'm sure this event has been traumatic for you almost as much as it was for Harry. You both need a good night's rest to recuperate," the healer told her.

"You don't understand! I won't be able to rest if I leave him here alone. If you want me to rest, then just let me stay here, near him."

The healer frowned for a moment. "Well... Fine, you may stay, but you two," she pointed at the boys, "should leave."

"Bye, Harry. I hope you get well until morning," Neville greeted before leaving.

"Yea, the same," Ron added.

Harry just waved his hand at them.

Madam Pomfrey looked at the pair. "I assume you'll want to share bed, just like you do in your own quarters."

They both nodded.

She sighed and waved her wand, enlarging Harry's bed to fit two people. "Just remember you are not in your private quarters and people may roam in at any time," she warned them before leaving.

Hermione climbed to bed soon after, hugging her husband, and they both fell asleep promptly.

Ron was unsure about his relationship with his two best friends. While both told him that they were still his friends, he sometimes felt as if he didn't belong with them anymore. He could see the silent conversations they would hold, the casual caresses, the hand holding. He was glad for his friends, yet... he also felt somewhat envious at times, especially at nights, when he was alone in bed while Harry...

Hermione was the first to notice his mood. "I believe we should help Ron find a girlfriend," she told Harry.

"Why would we do that? He's just thirteen; isn't it a bit early to even think about girls that way?"

"Look who's talking!" Hermione teased him. She then turned serious again. "He would have not felt that way normally, but with us, his best friends, being married, I believe he feels a bit left out. I'm sure he also imagines what we may be doing together," her cheeks became a bit rosy as she spoke, "and that doesn't help him either."

"Do you have anybody in mind for him?"

"I thought Lavender may be a good choice, especially since she's not too shy of showing her assets. There may be other girls as well, maybe some younger ones or in other houses."

"Don't suggest any Slytherin to him. You know what he thinks of them."

"That's pure prejudice. You've already met Daphne Greengrass in Runes, as I met her in Arithmancy. She seems to be a very nice girl and quite pretty as well," Hermione insisted.

"I know, but Ron may react in a very embarrassing way if you even suggest her, trust me."

"Always!" she said, engulfing him in a hug.

Harry wrote to Sirius about meeting Moony. Sirius didn't send a reply, yet Professor Lupin asked Harry to stay after their next lesson.

"Thank you for informing Sirius. I've been unsure about how to contact him and what to say. Now we're going to meet the coming weekend. Will you like to join us?"

'Don't! They need to be alone and mend their relationship,' Harry sensed his wife.

"Thanks, Professor, but I promised a date to this lovely girl besides me and I should keep my promise. We may join you for lunch, though, assuming it won't be too crowded. I already miss Sirius."

Once Hermione had a plan she started working on it. Whenever Ron came to their apartment, he would either find Lavender there or she would join them shortly after.

"Don't you think she looks nice?" Hermione asked him one day.

"Lavender? She's alright, I suppose," Ron answered in his regular indecisive tone.

"Come on! She's more than all-right! Haven't you noticed how nicely her body takes shape?"

"Well, yea. She does seem to have some nice curves..." Ron said hesitantly.

Lavender was also subject to Hermione's not so subtle matchmaking. "I think Ron fancies you," Hermione told her.

"So what? Why should I be interested?"

"Don't you find him attractive? He's tall and handsome and his blue eyes... One could almost swim in them. I could have fallen for him if it wasn't for Harry."

"Well, he is good looking, but so is Seamus and Neville is really turning into an impressive boy."

Hermione did some quick thinking. "They are, but only Ron can also be funny and make you laugh when you're feeling bad. Why don't you give him a chance?"

Lavender shrugged. "Well, I could, I suppose."

It was now Harry's turn to act. "Who are you taking to Hogsmeade the coming weekend?"

"I thought I'll be with you two," Ron replied.

"I'm not sure it would work this time. You see – I promised Hermione we would make it a date, as I had no chance to date her before the bond, so..."

Ron frowned. He had taken it for granted that he would be at Hogsmeade with the two of them. Now this was a new situation, one he wasn't ready for.

"I think Lavender may be willing to join you. She may have a little crush on you, I think. She also looks very nice, especially when she wears those low-cut blouses, you know," Harry continued.

"Well, maybe I should ask her..."

Lavender accepted Ron's reluctant invitation, although not enthusiastically, but once they were visiting the shops, Ron got himself enough courage to hold her hand. When they sat for a drink, Lavender bent towards him to say her thanks, revealing most of her ample bosom in the process, which made Ron gasp and then filled him with enjoyment. He was even bold enough to hug her shoulders, which Lavender didn't mind.

They met for lunch with the Potters, who also seemed to have enjoyed themselves, although they didn't buy much. Harry even joined Sirius and Moony at another table for a few minutes, just to make sure everything was going fine between these two old friends.

They walked back to the castle. Harry hugged Hermione, who put her head on his shoulder. Ron, looking at them, got a bit bolder and hugged Lavender closer, which she didn't seem to mind. Eventually, she put her head on his shoulder and hugged him back, just like Hermione was doing with Harry. Both couples slowed almost to a crawl, not minding at all.

By the time they reached their dorm, Harry thought that the weekend went very well, and Hermione agreed.

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	21. Chapter 21 Aunt

**21. Aunt**

Winter holidays were approaching. Unlike previous years, Harry felt very excited at the prospect of having a real Christmas with his new family, having never been given the opportunity to enjoy it before. Hermione was more apprehensive, though. It was time to meet other members of her family, some of which she didn't really enjoy meeting. She also didn't like the idea of having to act as if they were only friends; she was proud of being Harry's wife and felt bad at having to keep it a secret from her relatives.

They were both hugged tightly when meeting the Grangers at the train station. Hermione was relieved to find that this time they would not have a family congregation at Christmas; they would celebrate it within the close family only. Still, the adults had to attend to their clients, leaving the youngsters alone for most of the following days.

A letter was waiting for Harry on the breakfast table. Harry looked at the letter, wondering if he should open it. The envelope bore the Granger's address but was for _"Mr. Harry James Potter, staying with the Granger family"_. Yet that wasn't the oddest thing about it. Although the handwriting was awful, he could quite clearly decipher the sender's address: _"Dudley Dursley, 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging"_.

"I think you should open it," Hermione told him.

"Are you sure?" he asked, knowing the answer quite well. She had already cast all the detection charms that they knew and ruled out any malevolent magic, yet a letter from Dudley?

He sighed once more before opening the envelope with a knife and pulling out the ruled paper inside. He unfolded the letter, noticing how deeply the writing was engraved into the paper. Dudley had certainly tried his best, he thought. He could feel Hermione's presence in his mind. She was soothing him and watching through his eyes at the same time.

"_Harry,_

_I hope this letter reaches you and I hope you really read it. Looking back on the time you lived with me and my family, I won't be surprised if you won't even look at it, yet I hope you will._

_I need your help, Harry. Not for me, really, but for my Mum. Since you last visited us with that girlfriend of yours, Mum seems to have changed and I'm really worried. I didn't notice it during the summer, but once I returned for the Holidays it became too evident to ignore._

_She has never eaten very much, you know, but she hardly touches her food now. She used to make the house sparkle, and now she doesn't even care if I soil the whole floor. It took me some time to notice (you always used to say I wasn't the brightest kid in town) that she sits most of the time in the kitchen and lets her tears fall. I finally noticed she's usually holding a piece of cloth that looks like an old baby blanket and mumbles "They're gone"._

_Dad suggested a visit to the doctor and I tried different ways to get her out of this, but nothing worked. I even tried to throw a tantrum (you probably remember how much I used to do it when we were younger), but she didn't seem to notice it._

_I'm worried, Harry. Dad is sure you did something to her while you were here. I don't think so. You were never the type for revenge. I don't know who can help her, but I believe that if she sees you and talks to you, maybe even for only a few minutes, it may be enough to bring her out of it and make her seek some help._

_I know I don't deserve your help and neither does my Mum, but you are still family and she is your only aunt. Please, Harry, help her._

_I can't say that she will suddenly love you, nor can I promise to suddenly become your best pal, but I would appreciate it enormously._

_If you agree to help, just call me, so I can make sure Dad won't be present. He will never allow you to help, even if that's the only option we have._

_Dudley."_

Harry sat silently, his emotions in turmoil, as Hermione stood behind him and hugged him tightly. Even without reading his mind she knew he was not able to reject the plea for help, no matter how much he despised that person.

"I think we could take a bus," she said.

"I didn't say I would do it," he objected half heartedly.

"I know you can't say 'no' to him, so why not do it as soon as possible and get it off your heart?"

Harry smiled sadly. "You're right, as usual..."

"It also looks like your cousin is becoming aware of the misdeeds of the past," she noted.

"Don't count on it," he told her. "Let's get this out of our way," he added a moment later and walked towards the phone.

Harry dialed the number and waited for a response. Hermione lifted the extension in the living room. "Hello," they heard an enthusiastic voice, replaced immediately by a more controlled one: "Dursley residence, Dudley speaking."

"Hi, it's Harry. I've re..."

"Oh, Harry! I'm so glad you called. Mum is getting worse each day. When can you come?"

"Will tomorrow morning be fine? I..."

"Yes, tomorrow Dad has an early meeting at work and another meeting late in the afternoon. At what time will you come?"

"I'm not sure how long it may take, but I'll leave here soon after breakfast. I hope to be there before ten in the morning, but I really don't know."

"I'll be waiting. I can't leave Mum this way."

"Dudley, please don't raise your hopes too high. I've not learned any healing of any kind, so I'm not sure if I can really help."

"It doesn't matter. I'm quite sure you're the only one who can help her. Do come!"

"I'll be there tomorrow."

"Thank you Harry. I know we don't deserve it, and I feel grateful that you still agree to help. I'll be waiting for you."

Hermione hugged him as he was putting the handset down. "He sounds desperate," she said.

"Well, he is, but it seems to make him change for the better. I hope these changes will last."

Harry was still thinking. "I don't know how to go there by bus. They've never let me ride the bus on my own, except for the school bus. Besides, I don't have any money."

"You are a rich man, Harry. You have money more than enough."

"It's **our** money," he said almost automatically. "I have some wizarding money with me, but not enough muggle money."

"We can ask my parents...

"No! They're doing more than enough for me. Anyhow, I'm not sure if it will work. It took more than an hour to reach there in your father's car during weekend. It may take more than three hours by bus. Isn't there a magical alternative?"

Hermione thought about it. "We can't use the Floo... We don't know how to apparate... We could use a portkey, maybe, but we need someone to make it..."

Harry had a different idea. "Popsy!" he called.

A short while later there was a loud "crack" as Popsy materialized in front of Harry. "How can Popsy serve master?" she asked.

"Popsy, we need to travel tomorrow someplace but we don't know how to do it magically. Can you deliver a message to the Headmaster, asking him for a portkey?"

Popsy seemed surprised. "The headmaster is unavailable for a few days, but maybe Popsy can help. Where do you need to go?"

Harry sighed. "To my Aunt's house, at 4 Privet Drive. Can you tell us how we may go there?"

Popsy seemed somewhat offended at his tone, which suggested she might not know. "Master could just ride the Knight Bus," she said.

"What's that?"

"You just raise your wand at the side of the road to summon the bus. It should arrive in a few minutes. You then state your destination and it takes you there. It's slower than apparition or portkey, but it can be used by anyone with no training and doesn't cost much."

Harry's face lightened. "You think it could work?"

"Of course it would work. Many wizard folks use this bus all over the country, especially when not in a hurry."

"But it takes some time, you say. How long will it take us to reach there?"

"Popsy can't say. It depends..." She seemed to consider the problem some more. "But Popsy can take Master and Mistress wherever they need to go."

"You can?"

"Just call Popsy when you want to go, and I'll take you wherever you desire."

"Thank you , Popsy. You're a real help!"

"Would Master or Mistress need anything else?"

Harry didn't think so, but Hermione had a question. "Would this not bother you? I mean, you may have other things you'd like to do, so..."

"Mistress doesn't understand. Serving is not a bother; it's what we house-elves do best and enjoy it. Anything else?"

They both shook their head and the house-elf vanished the way it appeared.

Knowing they need not hurry, they ate breakfast leisurely the next morning and then changed to some casual cloths, yet making sure to wear the most prestigious brand names, just in case his aunt would notice. Harry seemed quite reluctant, but Hermione held his hand reassuringly.

Popsy arrived immediately when called and then grabbed their hands and deposited them in the entrance hall at 4 Privet Drive, startling Dudley.

"We shall call you when we want to go back home," Harry assured her and she disappeared, silently this time.

"Wow, Harry! That's traveling in style!" Dudley commented, still trying to catch his breath after the surprise.

They followed Dudley to the kitchen. Petunia was sitting at the table, holding a piece of cloth which Harry identified as his old baby-blanket. Her hair was uncombed and she wore no makeup, yet she seemed to have washed her face and brushed her teeth. Her eyes were unfocused and she didn't seem to be aware of anybody around her.

"Mum, Harry is here. He came to visit you," Dudley told her. Harry was surprised by the tenderness in his voice.

Petunia didn't react, didn't seem to even hear what was said. Dudley tried again, a bit louder: "Mum, Harry wants to talk with you."

Her eyes moved around, still barely focused, resting on Harry just a bit longer. Harry thought this was his cue. He came closer and put his hand on her shoulder. "Aunt Petunia, I'm here."

She still didn't move her head and didn't say a word, yet her free hand moved to her shoulder and grabbed Harry's hand tightly, pressing it harder into her bony shoulder.

Harry moved a bit to stand at her side, where she could see him better. "Would you like to talk with me?" he asked tenderly.

She turned her eyes towards him, blinked twice, and then let the baby blanket fall as she grabbed Harry's other hand. "James! Where's Lilly? What happened to her?" she asked worriedly.

Harry was confused. He had been told that he looked a lot like his father, but he was only thirteen! His aunt couldn't have met James Potter before his seventh year, so how could she confuse them?

'I'll ask Popsy to bring Madam Pomfrey here,' he sensed Hermione.

'Fine, do it,' he told her.

"Aunt Petunia, I'm Harry, Lily's son," he tried to plead with his aunt.

"Harry?" This seemed to have confused her, before her expression changed to dread and regret. "Oh, Harry!..." she started sobbing, still holding his hands tightly. Harry took a step closer. His aunt let his hands go and hugged his torso, putting her head on his chest and continuing her sobs.

Dudely was standing at his mother's other side, looking worried. Hermione had left the kitchen and returned a bit later with Madam Pomfrey in tow. Dudley looked at her apprehensively, but said nothing.

While Petunia was still sobbing on Harry's chest, the healer talked to Dudley quietly before moving her wand along his mother's body, chanting a spell. Once she finished, a small parchment appeared our of her wand. She plucked it and started reading, frowning quite deeply.

"What is it?" Dudley asked, frightened.

The healer lifted her head and smiled at him reassuringly, seeing his expression. "Nothing that can't be fixed," she told him. "It seems like she had been cursed while still a child. It should have faded long ago, but for some unknown reason it hadn't. There's also a lot of anxiety which is quite recent, as part of that old curse had been overpowered. All she needs is a few potions, some rest and a lot of love and patience from her close family."

"I'll do anything!" Dudley promised.

The healer moved her wand a few more times, mumbling something. Petunia seemed to start calming down. Her sobs became quieter, yet her hold on Harry didn't loosen at all. She started mumbling quietly. All Harry could discern was "Lilly", "love" and "should".

Madam Pomfrey left in order to get the required potions and Hermione took her place, looking at Harry and Dudley alternately. Petunia seemed to calm down a bit more. She lifted her head and looked Harry in the eye. "I'm sorry, Harry. I should have been a much better guardian to you. I should have been like a mother to you, but I let my stupid feelings dictate my deeds. I'm so sorry!"

She renewed her sobbing, still holding Harry tightly, but Hermione knew it was making Harry very uncomfortable. "Help Harry sit down and then heat some water. A calming tea seems to be in order now," she told Dudley.

The boy didn't argue. He actually seemed relieved to be able to do something. He moved as swiftly as his large body would allow. He first brought a chair nearer to Harry and helped him down, while Petunia continued holding him. He then filled a kettle and put it on the stove and also prepared a tea-set for serving.

Madam Pomfrey was back before the water started boiling. Petunia was startled when she noticed the healer, releasing Harry a bit. The healer noticed the preparations for tea and smiled. "A cup of tea would be just great at this time."

She then turned to Petunia. "I brought some medicines which should help you recover soon, yet there is one problem I can't help you with. You have been beaten more than once during the time since Harry joined your family. I suggest you involve the authorities in this case. Beating one's family has never been considered normal in either magical or muggle society. I'm sure your son and your nephew will support you, but only you can make this work."

This brought a new wave of tears into Petunia's eyes, yet her expression changed once more. It now showed determination.

"I suggest you take this first," the healer said, giving Petunia a pink potion. "It will help you clear your mind and find the answers to some of your problems."

Petunia looked at her with some doubt but took the potion nevertheless. "It tastes nice," she noted.

Hermione and Dudley prepared the tea and served it a few minutes later. Dudley also brought some food for his mother, who thanked him with a small smile.

They stayed there for another hour. Madam Pomfrey checked them all, looking very satisfied with Harry and Hermione, but frowning at Dudley. "If you want to live to an old age, you must get rid of most of your fat and start exercising, otherwise you may die early of heart attack. I can give you a potion to help a bit, but you should change your eating habits first."

"I'll do my best," Dudley promised.

Petunia started weeping again.

"What is it?" Harry asked.

"I can't leave Vernon. I have nowhere to go."

"I thought you owned this house in common," Harry told her.

"No. He convinced me it would only cost more to register it as common property and registered it as his alone."

Harry didn't hesitate. "You can live in one of my houses, or I can even buy you another one."

This seemed to grate on her nerves. "Harry! Be serious! How can you buy a house? You don't even own your own clothes."

Hermione smiled. "Actually, he can. Didn't you know that the Potters are one of the richest families in Britain?"

It took them some time to convince Petunia, but eventually she agreed to move into one of the smallest houses owned by the Potters: a six bedrooms house at the outskirts of London with only one acre of garden surrounding it. Dudley was eager to move as well, saying that his father was already grating on his nerves with all his prejudice. Having discovered that he was also beating his mother was the last straw.

"Popsy, can you go to that house and prepare it for my Aunt and my cousin to live there?" Harry asked the house elf once it was decided.

Popsy disappeared only to appear about two minutes later. "The house is ready and Jema, the house elf responsible for that house, is eager to serve you and your relatives," she told Harry.

"I own house-elves?!" Harry sounded really surprised.

"Didn't you know?" It was Popsy's turn to be surprised. She then explained. "Master has at least one house elf at each house he owns, and the Potter elves are well known."

Hermione didn't seem to like the idea, but this was not the time or the place to discus it.

Harry made sure that his aunt had enough money to reach her new home before asking Popsy to take him and his wife back home to the Granger residence.

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	22. Chapter 22 Dobby

_You've all been waiting for Dobby, so here he is!_

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**22. Dobby and Apparition**

Popsy had just finished adjusting the water in the bath, as she used to do since the bonding. "Does Master or Mistress need anything else?" she asked, as usual.

"Why do you call us Master and Mistress? We are not your masters, and we could really set our water right by ourselves, you know."

Popsy seemed to be frightened by the idea. "No, Mistress. It would be very unbecoming for you to set the bath. I'm assigned to your quarters and I'll feel very bad if you don't let me do it for you. I wish you would have needed my services more, really. It's not becoming a house elf to be idle."

Hermione wouldn't budge. "But Popsy, we are not your masters. You have nothing to fear even if you do nothing for us."

Popsy shook her head. "Mistress doesn't understand. We, house elves, need to work. If we stay idle we wither and die. There's only so much I can do to keep your apartment clean and tidy and take care of your clothes. I have to spend most of my time in the kitchen to just make myself busy. I'm assigned to you, so you are my masters for as long as you stay at Hogwarts. I only wish you would give me more to do."

Harry was listening to the conversation and he suddenly remembered another house elf. "Popsy, do you know anything about Dobby, the one I helped set free of Malfoy?"

Popsy looked at him scrutinizingly. "Dobby was very glad to leave Malfoy. He was sure The Great Harry Potter would like him enough to bond with him and was very upset finding Master had no such intentions. He thought you may have not trusted him, after seeing how he served the Malfoys. He's working as a free elf at Hogwarts now, but he really wishes to serve The Great Harry Potter and his lady."

"I didn't even know where he went after he was freed," Harry noted. "How can I find him?"

"Just call him, the same way you call me. He'll come gladly."

"Thank you, Popsy. You've been of great help," Harry told her sincerely.

They took the bath first, not wanting it to become cold. When they finished and were once again dry and clothed, Harry called "Dobby!"

He was immediately greeted by the small enthusiastic house elf. "Master called Dobby? Dobby would do anything for The Great Harry Potter Sir and for his lady. Is there anything The Great Harry Potter needs Dobby to do now?"

"Dobby, please calm down. I'm just a thirteen-years old boy, not a great wizard. I was wondering how you were doing since that evening when you were set free."

Dobby was not deterred. "The Great Harry Potter Sir may only be thirteen, but is already a great wizard." His face turned gloomy now. "Dobby was hoping, after being freed from bad master, that The Great Harry Potter would find Dobby worthy to serve him, but maybe Dobby is not really worthy enough for The Great Harry Potter Sir. Dobby now works for Hoggywarts and for long-beard and is being paid nicely, but Dobby wishes to be worthy enough to serve The Great Harry Potter and his Missus."

It was Hermione's turn to ask. "Why, Dobby? Don't you like being free?"

Dobby looked at her as if she was a toddler asking a stupid question. "A house elf needs a master. Master's magic lets house-elves live. A free elf can't live long. Without magic, a free elf loses his magic and his life in a few months. Staying at Hoggyworts, with all the magic within, can let Dobby live a bit more, but without a master Dobby will die in a year or two years."

It only took them a moment to reach a decision without even talking.

"Dobby, would you like to bond with me and with Hermione?"

The little elf's eyes lit like Christmas decorations. "Dobby will **love** serving The Great Harry Potter Sir and his missus! It is all Dobby dreams about!" he said jumping in place enthusiastically.

"Well, what should we do then?" Harry asked.

"The Great Harry Potter Sir only needs to say he accepts Dobby as his bonded house elf."

"Wouldn't that cause problems with the headmaster?"

"No, Master. Old long-beard told Dobby be free to leave whenever he finds new master. Old Long-beard knows house-elf needs master."

"Then Dobby, I hereby accept you as my bonded house elf," Harry declared solemnly. He could see a few golden sparks pass from his hands to Dobby's shoulders. Dobby seemed to suddenly gain a bit of height and some confidence.

"Can you tell me what has just happened?" Harry asked.

Dobby bowed lightly. "Dobby is happy to tell The Great Harry Potter that by accepting the bond he has just made Dobby bigger and stronger than ever. It just shows how great a wizard Master is."

"We're happy for you, Dobby, but we really don't need much service now, and Popsy is already assigned to our apartment," Hermione said. "It would be unfair to deprive her of that position. What would you do when we don't need your services?"

"Many students bring their own house-elves to Hogwarts. Most of the kitchen staff is actually made of these. They attend to their master's special needs, but help the school otherwise. I can do the same."

Hermione noticed his improved speech. 'Was this also caused by the bond?' she wondered.

Harry thought for a moment. "Well, Dobby, you could do that if you want to. I'd like just one service for now, if you don't mind. Can you check on the Potter possessions and find out if I own any other house-elves?"

Dobby smiled, quite pleased with himself. "Dobby already knows, Master. The Great Harry Potter owns almost as many house-elves as there are at Hogwarts. They tend to all the Potter properties, except for the house where master got that scar, and they are all anxious to meet their master, The Great Harry Potter Sir."

"How do you know that?"

"We, house-elves, know everything important about our masters, their friends and their enemies, and the Potter elves are most respected."

Harry was somewhat surprised to find he owned so many house-elves. He was somewhat afraid that Hermione would not like it, but considering the explanations they got from Popsy and from Dobby, this didn't seem to be a problem right now, yet he had to find out much more about his elves and about house-elves in general.

"Dobby, I want you to prepare a list of all the house-elves we own, their roles and their accommodations. I want to make sure they are all getting all they need and that they are treated fairly. You don't need to hurry, though. We shall only be able to check it during the weekend."

"Yes, Master Harry Potter Sir. I'll have the list ready before the weekend with all the details you may need."

Hermione was looking at Dobby's clothing. He was no longer wearing an old pillowcase, but the assortment of cloth items he was wearing was anything but graceful. "Dobby, I know I should not give you cloth, but can't you replace your clothes with some more... formal uniform, or something similar. As a Potter house elf you must look more dignified."

Dobby smiled again. "I can do this easily. I know the uniforms of the Potter house-elves, but I need to know my exact position for the uniform."

Harry didn't hesitate at all. "I think nobody would be offended if I nominate you as my personal helper. Would that be OK?"

Dobby clicked his fingers, turning the assortment of items he was carrying into a sleek dark-blue uniform with red and gold trimmings, sporting the Potter crest above the left chest-pocket. His feet were now covered in rubber-soled socks – one red and one golden.

"Thank you Dobby. That would be all for tonight," Harry told him with a smile of his own. Dobby bowed and disappeared.

/*\/*\/*\/*\

Spending more time with Hermione than during previous years made Harry a bit more observant and sharpened his mind. That weekend, after getting the weekly report from Dobby, Harry started thinking.

"That's impossible," Hermione told him, once she got the gist of his thoughts.

"No, it's not. House-elves do it all the time. Why can't wizards do the same?" he insisted.

"But it's written in...

"'Hogwarts, A History' – isn't it?"

"Oh, you!..."

"Yet you still love me," he said cheekily.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I just can't help it. Can I?"

After a bit of snogging they went back to the subject at hand. "We know that the house-elves can apparate in Hogwarts and in or out of it quite freely, yet wizards can't. That must mean that they use different techniques. We aren't supposed to learn wizard's apparition until our sixth year, but nobody teaches any other form. Why don't we try to learn the elf way?" Harry asked.

Hermione couldn't find any fault in his logic. "We can ask Dobby to teach us. When do you think it would be best to try?"

Harry looked at the gloomy weather outside. It meant that the corridors leading to the Great Hall would be cold and drafty in the morning, Using apparition to move there seemed quite attractive. "How about... now?"

Dobby was just too eager to help, as usual. Once Hermione posed the question, he needed a few minutes to think about it before he could give an answer.

"From what I've heard about Wizard's apparition it is based on 'Destination, Determination, Deliberation', or the three D's, as they call it. In principle it forces one's magic to move one's body as a whole from one spot to another, and that turn at the beginning is just confusing. House-elves do it differently. While wizard apparition is like jumping, elves' apparition is more like walking."

Dobby stopped again, trying to find a good explanation. "When you walk, you first lift one foot, staying firmly on the other, and put its tip on the new position. You then lower the foot until it is firmly set on the ground, followed by moving your weight from the foot left behind to the one moved forward. Finally, after your weight is on the forward foot, you lift the back foot and move it forward to join the other."

Both Harry and Hermione nodded their understanding, making Dobby continue. "Now, apparition is similar. We first send a bit of magic forward to set it at the new position. We then follow it with enough magic to start transferring some mass as well. We then shift our mass – our bodies – from the point we are to the point we want to be, still keeping some of our magic in place. Once our body is fully transferred we recall that last bit of magic. When done slowly, we seem to fade in or out of places. When done quickly it looks similar to wizard apparition, but is not stoppable by wizard wards."

Dobby demonstrated by apparating slowly from one place in the room to another. He could actually be seen as a semi transparent elf in both places for most of the process, and it made no noise at all. He then did it quickly. It looked like he disappeared from one place and reappeared in another, accompanied by a loud crack since a large amount of air was suddenly displaced.

While the general mechanism was clear from this explanations, the details were not. They spent another hour trying to understand some more. Dobby tried his best, but he just fell short of making them grasp it. Harry was becoming apprehensive, fearing that Dobby might decide to punish himself for failing in this task.

"Dobby, I think we are too tired to properly understand this technique. Do you mind if we continue tomorrow after dinner? I would also advise you to consult with some of the Potter older house-elves about the best way to teach us. They may be more experienced in teaching than you are." Harry added a yawn to be more convincing.

"Of course, Master Harry Potter Sir. I'll consult with the elders and come back after dinner."

"Good night, Dobby. You're just great!" Harry dismissed him.

"That was very kind of you," Hermione told Harry once they were alone.

"Well, the Malfoys used to punish him for practically everything, and made him see punishment as a regular part of his job if he failed even the slightest. I don't want him to feel as if he failed if we are not smart enough to understand..."

"Hey! Speak for yourself!" Hermione told him with a grin.

"Sure. If **I** am not smart enough," he corrected.

"That's better! Now, I believe we should check the library for any book about apparition before we try learning it with Dobby again," she suggested.

"I actually expected you to say that," he grinned.

"Oh, you're insufferable!" she groaned.

"But you love me still."

"Well, I do. So what?"

"I love you too."

/*\/*\/*\/*\

By the time Dobby came to continue the lessons, they were well versed in all that entailed apparition, wizard's style. Dobby also seemed to have been better prepared. Ten minutes into the lesson they were already trying it. The first times were complete failures, but once they got a few more points right, they were starting to make real progress. An hour later they were already able to apparate freely within their apartment as well as other places within Hogwarts.

They then tried apparating out of Hogwarts, visiting Hosmeade and then popping briefly into Hermione's room at home and back again. Once they were confident using this technique they even found a new use for it: they could do "partial apparition" – move just enough of themselves to the target to be able to see and hear what was happening without really being there. That technique allowed them to spy at their target without being discovered, as the partial apparition was so slight that it was practically undetectable.

"I'd like to teach our friends how to apparate," Harry said.

"I'm not sure this is a good idea," Hermione answered. "We already are much more powerful than them and they will probably be unable to master the technique at this time. Neville is improving very nicely, but he still has a long way to go; Ron doesn't even seem to be interested in learning anything, except studying Lavender's cleavage. And then – we haven't told them about our wandless abilities either, so..."

Harry thought for a bit more. "Well, I hate to admit it, but it may be better if nobody knows. Rumors travel fast at Hogwarts and if I have to fight Voldemort again, I'd rather have some surprises for him."

Harry had no hesitations about using this new ability, though. He used it to spy on the Slytherins, visiting their common room every few days just to make sure they were not plotting against Hermione or against him. He even tried spying on Pansy, knowing she was close to Malfoy, while talking with other girls in the bathroom. This won him a slap from Hermione. He had to promise Hermione to never do it again and assure her that he really wasn't interested in seeing the Slytherin girls naked before she accepted his apologies. The fact that she could sense his thoughts and his feelings came very handy in persuading her.

They also used their new abilities to access the Chamber of Secrets. They could easily apparate into and out of the chamber and nobody could follow them and find their secret, especially if the other end of the apparition was their bedroom. While studying the whole library of the chamber could take years, they soon found some books relevant to their classes, enabling them to excel much more than before.

They studied some advance books as well, finding several obscure spells which could help Harry in battle and some rituals and potions to strengthen their bodies, minds and magic and to give them protection. They even performed some of the easier rituals, and Hermione copied all the potion recipes so she could brew them during the summer.

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	23. Chapter 23 Summer Vacation

**23. Summer Vacation**

The rest of the year passed quite peacefully. The Potters studied seriously, getting top marks, dragging Neville along and even Ron was influenced enough to achieve passing grades in all the subjects.

Neville was really surprising them. The chubby boy who started exercising with them was gradually replaced by a powerful teen who didn't tire easily. Neville gained some confidence and with his friends' help was also improving his academic performance just as dramatically. He was now third among the Gryffindors of his class and tenth overall in his grades. Only the Potters and some Ravenclaws got higher marks.

Ron wasn't as successful. His lack of interest in improving himself showed in his grades and in his appearance. His eating habits were starting to show, making him fatter and less attractive. Lavender still stayed close to him, but only so she could deflect some unwanted suitors, yet she wouldn't let him call her his girlfriend. She was actually thinking of some higher-class boys as more appropriate boyfriends.

"Would you like to ride the train or would you rather apparate home?" Harry asked Hermione the evening before end of term.

"I'd really love to meet my parents sooner, but it may raise unwanted questions if we suddenly disappear, don't you think? Then, I also like spending the ride leisurely with our friends. I think the anticipation will also make our meeting with my parents more exciting," she said.

Harry smiled. "Then, we'll board the train and ride with our friends. Now, let's go to bed."

"Sure, my dear husband," she teased, letting her bathrobe fall before climbing naked onto the bed.

They still spent their time on the Hogwarts Express together. Hermione was snuggling into Harry while Lavender was slapping Ron's hands off her, whenever he tried reaching "forbidden areas". Neville enjoyed chatting with Harry, oblivious to the admiring looks Ginny was directing at him, although he was admiring her emerging femininity whenever she was busy talking with the others.

The Granger residence was as welcoming as ever. Harry was really feeling it had become "home" for him just as much as for Hermione.

"We're planing to visit America during this summer," Dave told them.

Harry was excited by the idea. Hermione didn't seem as enthusiastic. "Why?" she asked.

"Do you remember my uncle Kalvin? He's reaching sixty this summer and the whole family is invited to celebrate it in one of the amusement parks," her father explained.

Hermione's face brightened. She loved her dad's family. "So, where will we stay?"

"We've already confirmed our participation and assured a family suit for us, to accommodate our guardianship charge as well." Dave smiled saying the last words. "We still need to stay a few nights in New-York before and after the celebration and we may squeeze in a visit to Washington DC as well, I hope."

"We need two days there at least, with all the museums..." Hermione said.

"We may leave some unvisited for another time," her father interrupted her with a smile.

She just huffed at him and then smiled.

Hermione took advantage of the two weeks until their journey to brew all the potions she had copied from the chamber. Using some of the new spells learned there, they created a potion lab in the cellar. It was invisible to strangers, both muggle and magical, while they both and the Grangers could see it perfectly. A short visit at the apothecary filled the shelves with all the ingredients they needed and then some. While Hermione was still better at potions than Harry, he was catching up nicely. With both working on the potions they had everything ready on time. They didn't take the potions yet, deciding it was safer to do it at Hogwarts, with Madam Pomfrey nearby.

Shopping in New-York proved to be more than merely visiting different shops. As they were walking in the downtown shopping areas, Hermione caught a glimpse of something.

"I want to check that," she said, pointing to an optician's shop.

"Do you need sunglasses?" Dave asked.

"No. Just come, please."

Harry, being the only one of them wearing glasses, was mildly interested in the display of various designs of eyeglasses. While he didn't particularly like his round glasses, he was already accustomed to them, and none of the displayed models attracted his attention. Hermione, though, dragged him to the back of the store, where he could see a small room, half hidden behind a curtain. The room seemed to be unused, yet a small sign on the wall stated "Tap your wand here twice". A big arrow was pointing at a small square area of a different color.

Hermione tapped as requested. The wall slid aside, revealing a whole new shop behind it. This one was clearly magical.

A young assistant in white robes approached them. "How can I help you?"

"I've seen the sign advertizing eye-sight correction without glasses. Can you tell us a bit more about it?" Hermione asked.

"You don't wear glasses, do you?" the assistant asked, somewhat confused.

"I don't, but my... boyfriend here does. I'd really like to know if it's possible to rid him of his glasses."

"Well, follow me." The assistant led them to a side room, where an older man, wearing open white robes over a normal business suit was reading a medical magazine. "Healer Cazoli, these young people are interested in removing his glasses," the assistant said.

"Do sit down," the healer said to them, nodding to the assistant in thanks.

"We want to know what kind of treatment you offer and how it is done before we can decide if we want it," Hermione told the healer.

He seemed somewhat amused, but still answered professionally. "We have several methods of improving eyesight. They vary in efficiency, and as you may guess – in price as well."

"Price is of no issue here," Hermione told him, "We're only interested in the best."

The healer seemed to doubt her, but continued nevertheless. "We always start with a thorough test of the eyes. Depending on what we find, there are a few options for treatment. One is similar to the muggle Laser Operations, changing the eye's lens to fit the cavity. This is an easy process, only taking about an hour and needing no special preparations. Once done, the patient is guaranteed to see well for a decade, at least. However, this is not appropriate for youngsters, since their bodies, including their eyes, are still changing, making it impossible to adjust the lenses correctly."

"So why bother with that?" Hermione asked.

"This treatment is the base line to which we compare the others," he explained patiently. "Then there's the eye-cavity treatment. As you may know, the eye works like a camera, so that if you move the sensor back, one can only see clearly what's very close, This deformation of the eye-cavity is the most common cause for children to need glasses. They just can't focus on the elongated eye-cavity. We can treat it with a combination of spells and potions which bring it back to the right proportions and keep it that way. It works very well with adults, adolescents and school children. It keeps the shape of the cavity for young people until their bodies stabilize into adulthood, yet for it to succeed, the patient must continue taking a potion regularly until reaching full physical adulthood."

"How often must that potion be taken?"

"We have several options here as well. The simplest must be taken daily. A different one needs only be taken once a week. Then we have our newest version which comes also as a sticker, taken or applied only once a month and releasing its effect gradually. This is, as you may expect, the most expensive."

They both nodded understandingly. "Are there other options?" Hermione asked.

"There's the eye-muscle treatment. It addresses the same problem from a different angle. Instead of changing the cavity it enhances the eye muscles, allowing them to focus the lens over a larger range of distances. It is most suited to cases of light aberrations of sight, as severe cases could not benefit much from such treatment. It also requires some preparation: the patient must take a potion for several days before the treatment to assure its success."

"For how long?" she asked.

"That depends on the results of the preliminary examinations, but it's for a week at most."

"Anything else?"

"We also offer a combination of cavity and muscles treatments but only when we find it beneficial. This is also the most expensive treatment, as you may guess."

"How long does the preliminary examination take?"

"Less than an hour, but it isn't free. One must pay for it even if we find one's eyes untreatable by our methods."

"May I consult with my parents? They're in the muggle section."

The healer smiled, waving his hand towards the entrance.

Once Hermione left, he addressed Harry. "It's really none of my business, but don't you have your own say in this?"

Harry smiled understandingly. "She cares for me more than I do and she has always been the smart one. I trust her completely."

"But why should she consult with her parents about you?"

"Well, they're also my guardians, so..."

Hermione was already back. "Let's do the preliminary step and then we shall see."

"And your parents?" the healer asked.

"They went to that antique bookshop across the street. That would keep them busy for hours."

The healer grabbed a few printed forms from his desk and passed them to Harry. "Please fill all the relevant information. It's especially important to give as many details about previous medical treatments and any potions taken for medical or other purposes."

Harry started filling the forms, giving as many details as he could remember, with Hermione drawing his attention to several points he seemed to have missed. A few minutes later he gave the forms to the healer who started scanning them.

"Are you related in any way to that famous British wizard?" the healer asked.

"Very closely."

The healer lifted his eyes and actually looked at Harry's face for the first time. Harry moved his hair a bit, revealing the famous lightning shaped scar.

"I'm really sorry for not recognizing you immediately, Sir," he apologized.

"No need to apologize. I could have told you my name immediately had I wanted to," Harry replied.

It took the healer another moment to calm down as he continued checking the forms, noticing the multiple medical treatments. He stopped once again when he found "Basilisk venom" and "Phoenix tears" mentioned.

"Can you elaborate about these?" he asked, pointing at the relevant lines.

"Well, I encountered a Basilisk. The Phoenix blinded it, but it could still bite and it did. The venom started acting, but then the phoenix noticed and came to my help, crying over my wound and healing it."

"And the Basilisk?"

"I killed it with a sword when it bit me."

The admiration in the healer's eyes was extremely evident, yet he continued acting professionally.

"Let's start checking your eyes," he said, leading Harry to another chair. "Now, put your glasses aside and let's check your eyesight."

This was a normal, muggle-style, eyesight checking, proving that Harry could hardly see anything without glasses. Several more check of the same kind followed, giving an exact picture of his current eye problems. This was followed by some magical examinations, using various spells and several other instruments. About forty minutes later, the healer seemed content with the information gathered. He fed everything to a computer sitting near his desk and then turned the screen to let Harry and Hermione see it as well.

"I don't think it's news to you that you see practically nothing without your glasses. This is probably due to some severe damage done to you in your early childhood, forcing your eye-cavities to elongate. I can only assume that your head was pressed somehow." The computer display was showing diagrams of his eyes with the cavities highlighted, showing them clearly deformed.

"Then, there's also some weakening of the eye muscles, probably caused by trying to see clearly before having been fitted with eyeglasses. This is not severe, but I would recommend treating it as well." The display was now highlighting the muscles, although Harry could see nothing wrong with them.

"So, you recommend the combined treatment," Harry summed it up.

"Yes, that's what I recommend, yet it is extremely expensive, especially considering the amount of damage we need to repair. You may need to consult with your guardians."

"How much?"

The healer consulted the computer once again. "Two thousands and seven hundred fifty galleons, not including the thirty five galleons for the preliminary examinations."

Harry took a Gringotts card from his pocket. "Do you accept this card or would you rather I bring the sum in gold?"

This was the platinum card, given by Gringotts to only a handful of the highest profile clients. Normal clients could only get bronze cards; Richer ones got silver cards and the elite was eligible for a gold card. This was the first time the healer even set eyes on such a card. He scanned it carefully, noticing the name in-scripted on the card: "Lord Harry James Potter". The place where maximum expense allowed should be written was left blank. He could sense the magic emanating from the card, identifying it as genuine.

"This card is perfectly acceptable," he said, still a bit overwhelmed.

Hermione left them again to fetch her parents, as they wanted to make sure the eye treatment would not interfere with their plans. Although Harry could hear her talk with her parents through the bond, he didn't think it was wise to make this fact public, even though the healer seemed trustworthy.

Consulting with the healer, they set the date and left with the appropriate potions and instructions for getting ready for the treatment.

Celebrating Uncle Kevin's birthday was fun and visiting anywhere with Hermione was just as much fun for Harry. He enjoyed the museums, be they art or science, as he was always watching the nicest exhibit – his wife. It didn't mean that he was oblivious, though. He liked the space museum best as well as the science museum. Only few of the art exhibits made an impression on him, though Hermione liked most of them. In a way, Harry was glad they still had different tastes, showing them to still be two different people. As much as he liked merging physically with his wife, he still liked to be a distinct person.

It was at the last day of their vacation when Harry finally had his eyes treated. He left the hotel with Hermione soon after breakfast and took a taxi to the optician store. The treatment, performed by Healer Cazoli with the aid of three assistants, took almost two hours, at the end of which he could walk out of the store, seeing perfectly with no eye glasses.

Hermione, who was waiting outside, used the time to look through the various models of frames and chose one which looked similar to Harry's old glasses, yet was very modern and extremely resistant. She asked it to be fitted with flat optical glasses, as they agreed. Harry would feel awkward without eye glasses and nobody needed to know that he no longer needed them. An opponent who would spend the time trying to remove his glasses would be at a disadvantage, as even if successful, it would gain him nothing.

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	24. Chapter 24 The Goblet

**24. The Goblet**

Everybody was surprised as the Headmaster started the year with the announcement of the Quidditch league canceled only to be replaced by the Triwizard tournament.

Ron was furious. "Why cancel the Quidditch league, which is the most important thing in school for something none of us has ever heard about?" he complained.

"Hey, speak for yourself," Hermione replied. "I've already read about it. The only question is, why they have revived this tournament, after having it canceled for about a century, due to the high rate of fatalities?"

Despite all the precautions set, Harry had a bad feeling about the tournament, and Hermione couldn't really change it. "With my luck, I'm sure I'll end participating in it, even if it's against the rules and I don't even want it."

Not being able to change his mind, she offered a way to handle the situation. "Why don't you ask Sirius to come here and use his auror position to supervise and check anything that may look suspicious? I'm sure he'll be glad to help you."

Harry did as suggested, asking for Sirius to come. Sirius arrived just before the goblet of fire was revealed. Dumbledore was aware of his presence, but none of the other staff members was informed. He stayed hidden under Harry's invisibility cloak during the whole evening, just watching and paying attention to all adults present.

Once everybody left, Sirius approached the goblet and cast a monitoring charm around it, before retiring for the night.

The next evening was full of expectations. Harry had no chance to talk with Sirius during the day and was somewhat gloomy. His apprehension proved to be justified when the goblet spit out a fourth name – Harry Potter.

He had already discussed this possibility with Hermione and with Sirius, although Dumbledore didn't consider it possible. Now he rose on his feet and declared loud and clear: "I have not put my name in the goblet, so this cannot bind me in any magical contract, however – it binds the one who put my name in. By the magic of this goblet, I hereby call the person who put my name in to come forward. So mote it be!"

The silence in the hall was only disturbed by the commotion near the head table. Professor Moody, who had already been on his way out, was suddenly grabbed by an invisible force and dragged in front of the goblet, his face turning into a mask of rage. "What have you done?" he asked furiously, his hand going towards his wand.

No sound was heard, but his wand came flying towards Harry, followed by his hip flask a moment later.

"Now, Harry, this is no way to treat a professor," Dumbledore scolded him.

Harry wanted to answer, but Sirius beat him to that, removing his invisibility cloak and declaring: "This one is not a professor; he is an imposter."

Dumbledore seemed shocked. He was supposed to be an old friend of Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody. If this one was an imposter – how had he failed to notice? Yet Sirius seemed to be certain and Harry's proclamation had certainly activated the goblet's magic. Had he failed again? It was a disheartening thought.

The headmaster resumed functioning. He ordered all students to get out of the Great Hall, leaving only the aurors, the visiting headmasters and heads of houses there to interrogate the imposter.

The imposter seemed to struggle, trying to get away, but the goblet's magic held him in place. Before leaving the hall like all other students, Harry passed the flask to Snape, who didn't need much testing to identify it as polyjuice potion. He also gave the imposter's wand to Sirius.

The imposter was tied and cuffed, to be on the safe side, still held in place by the goblet, and then several aurors, who had accompanied Sirius, set guard around him, waiting for the polyjuice potion to wear off, while Sirius, Dumbledore and McGonagall went to Moody's lodging. The foreign headmasters as well as the Ministry representatives stayed, too confused to do anything else.

By the time Sirius and the Professors returned, supporting a very weak Alastor Moody between them, the imposter was already changing form. Within a few minutes he turned from an old man with only one eye and one leg into a much younger blond man, owning two eyes and two legs and a recognizable tattoo on his left arm – the dark mark.

Barty Crouch, the Head of International Cooperation department in the Ministry, was sitting at the table, holding his head, as if trying to fight a headache. Nobody seemed to notice him raise his wand towards the imposter and starting to murmur something, yet his wand flew out of his hand as soon as his lips started moving.

"What do you think you're doing?" Sirius asked him.

The man turned his gaze and it became clear that he was not in his right mind. Two aurors made sure he was disarmed and then took him away.

Sirius came later to the Potters' apartment to tell them what had happened.

"That young man is Barty Crouch Junior. He had been sentenced to life in Azkaban for his part in a horrendous crime done a few days after the demise of the dark lord, yet he managed to escape when his mother visited him, using polyjuice potion. His mother died a few days later, still looking like him. He stayed in house arrest with his father, but gradually managed to overcome the Imperius he was held under and put his father under Imperius, gaining access to all the ministry information his father had access to."

Sirius looked at Harry with some compassion. "He really was after you, Harry. He got in contact with Peter and Voldemort, who devised a plan to use you for resurrecting the dark lord and then killing you. Now that we know the plan, we're going to use it in order to capture Peter and finish Voldemort for good."

He then changed his expression, looking bemused. "We need your help now. We need you to release him from the goblet so we can put him back where he belongs."

"Won't that put me back in the tournament?" Harry worried.

"No. He had already confessed to putting your name in there without your consent. He was then asked if he would be willing to participate, fulfilling the magical contract. He promptly refused and a moment later he was stripped of all his magic. He's now less magical than your Uncle Vernon."

Harry was relieved hearing this.

It was a short lived relief, though. The next morning he was called to the headmaster's office immediately after breakfast. Hermione joined him. They found Sirius there as well as Amelia Bones, the director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and Rufus Scrimgeour, Head of the Auror office. They all looked very grave.

The headmaster introduced them all, although Harry had already known everybody except for the head Auror. "Now, Lord Potter, as you were already informed, the imposter didn't accept the obligation of competing in the tournament and was stripped of his magic. While it looks plausible that this should be the end of this affair, there are some doubts about it."

Sirius spoke next. "Had it been a normal written contract, we could have studied its wording and find out the exact meaning of you being selected against your will. As it is, nobody is sure about the exact meaning. There is a slight chance that despite your public oath and the punishment of that imposter, you still may be adversely affected if you refrain from taking part in the tournament."

Harry wanted to protest, but Rufus spoke now. "We've made all those present when the imposter was revealed swear an unbreakable vow to keep it secret, however, we can't oblivate all the students. It would be safer to tell them that whatever happened last evening couldn't get you out of the tournament. Whoever sent that imposter would only learn that his man was suspected and then released, as Moody will take over. We'll make sure that none of the tasks will be too dangerous for you and you will seem to participate against your will. At the time that the imposter's plan should have come to fruition, a team of aurors, all looking like you, will handle the situation."

There was a silence after these words. "So, I still have to participate?" Harry asked, already knowing the answer.

"Unfortunately, yes," – it was Madam Bones who answered. "I will personally make sure that you will not be faced with unnecessary dangers and be given the best training possible for your tasks. They may still be dangerous, you must know, and I expect you to take all possible precautions and refrain from any rash action. Auror Black will stay here as your personal trainer and would be able to enlist any help he may need from my department."

"Thank you, Madam. I appreciate it very much," Harry said, bowing slightly.

"It's my duty and my pleasure, Lord Potter," she replied.

"I believe you have class to attend soon. We shall discuss all the details and auror Black will keep in touch with you later, if it's alright with you," the headmaster said, clearly dismissing the youngsters.

They didn't talk or communicate otherwise until they almost reached class – it was charms this time.

"We'll overcome this together," Hermione assured Harry with a tight hug.

"Yes, we will," he answered, not sounding very sure of himself.

Hermione tightened the hug, trying to transmit all her love and her confidence in him to Harry, opening their mind channel as well. It only helped momentarily, though.

Harry stayed depressed throughout the morning, despite Hermione doing her best to cheer him up. There wasn't much she could do while in class, though. Double Potions in the afternoon was certainly not helping either, although Snape was almost polite in class and practically ignored the Potters, a behavior that Hermione was thankful for.

Their friends were also concerned. Even Ron could see that Harry was in a very bad mood.

"What is it, mate?" he asked.

"Just this blasted tournament. It looks like I still have to compete, and with my luck..."

"Your luck brought you a wife," Hermione reminded him.

This finally brought a smile to his face. "Well. It may not be a bad luck, but it certainly is weird," he commented. To this, even Hermione had to agree.

They were eating dinner when the headmaster stood up to talk to the students. "I must let you all know that despite the incident yesterday evening, and although Lord Potter had given his vow, assuring us all that he didn't put his name in the goblet, he is still obliged to participate in the tournament, as the goblet may not take this into consideration. As we already have a Hogwarts champion, Lord Potter will be his own champion, representing no school. I still expect all students and teachers to treat him like a chosen champion and give him the same support as the other champions."

"Just great!" Harry grumbled. "Now I'm not even representing a school."

"Look at it this way: as you're not the Hogwarts champion, you can get all the help that you need, as it isn't against the laws of the tournament to help a rival champion," Hermione said.

Harry smiled faintly at her. "Fine. As long as I have your support, I need nothing else."

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	25. Chapter 25 Dragons

_Note: Parseltongue is marked by $ at the start and end of the quote._

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**25. Dragons**

Sirius was pleasantly surprised to find out that Harry and Hermione were training each morning, along with some friends. Neville was the most persistent, never missing training. Lavender had also joined them the previous spring, after noticing how training had improved Neville's appearance. Harry wasn't sure if it was in order to improve her own figure or just to stay near Neville. Some members of the Quidditch team used to join twice a week, just to keep in shape. Most surprising was Luna Lovegood. They found her half frozen one morning, while jogging. She was reluctant to tell why she was outside, wearing only a sheer nightgown in the freezing weather, but with Hermione's help, Harry managed to get the whole story out of the girl. They took her to the hospital wing to make sure she was well and then made sure that Professor Flitwick took care of the bullying and harassing taking place in his house. Luna joined them almost every morning since, proving to be quite fit, despite her slight build.

Sirius helped the youngsters upgrade their morning training for the benefit of all, yet he also set some special times for training Harry in preparation for the tournament.

They were given the date for the first task that day, and Harry was once again in a bad mood. "Why don't you fly a bit?" Hermione suggested, knowing how much he liked flying and how it usually calmed him down. Harry agreed. He took his broom and zoomed over the school, circling the towers first and then going farther and farther, over the black lake and over the forbidden forest.

Something caught his eyes in the forest. A large clearing, not far from Hagrid's cabin, now sported a few tents and four cages which contained... Dragons!? He was sure it wasn't a coincidence, having four dragons when there were four competitors. Using a wandless disillusion charm, one that they had found in the Chamber, he glided closer to the clearing. He could now see several dragon handlers taking care of the four enormous creatures which looked extremely vicious. One of the handlers had the fiery hair he couldn't mistake – that was surely a Weasley, probably Charley.

He hurried back to Hermione. She had already seen it all through his eyes, but she had no advice yet. They only decided to investigate it further and maybe visit the dragons, keeping a safe distance from them, later that night.

Sirius met them at dinner. "I'd like you to come with me once you finish eating. There's something I want you to see."

"What is it?" Harry asked, already guessing the answer.

"Just wait and see," Sirius smirked.

Harry ate at a speed to challenge Ron's, yet Hermione beat him, eating much less than him; much less than usual even for her. Sirius took his time, though, before joining them and walking towards Hagrid's hut.

"Hey, Hagrid, care to join us?" Sirius called at the open door of the hut.

"Where to?" Hagrid asked, appearing in the door-frame.

"To the clearing!" Sirius answered, making it sound as if he was referring to a ball.

Hagrid frowned. "Are you sure?"

"Of course. Harry's his own champion, you know..."

"Well..." Hagrid joined them reluctantly.

It didn't take long to reach the clearing which was dominated by four huge cages, each housing a dragon. Several dragon handlers were busy trying to feed the dragons without being harmed.

"Hey, Charley!" Sirius called, as the redhead handler came out of one of the cages.

"Sirius! It's good seeing you!" He then stopped as he saw Harry. "Why have you brought young children here? It's quite dangerous, you know."

Sirius patted Harry's shoulder as he shoved him forward. "He's one of the competitors."

Charley looked furious. "That's insane! Dragons are dangerous even to fully trained wizards. He's too young to face them!"

Harry noticed that Hagrid was inching closer to the big animals. He let Sirius and Charley talk and went closer to Hagrid.

"Isn't it a beauty?" he heard Hagrid say, looking at the Chinese Firebolt Dragon. Hermione rolled her eyes and followed Harry to the next cage, where a Hungarian Horntail Dragon was caged. It looked menacing and dangerous. Besides the scales and the fire, this dragon also had large spikes coming out of its spine all along its body and its tail. Each such spike was as big as an elephant's tusk and much sharper. This dragon could kill just by flicking its tail.

"Aren't Dragons a kind of reptiles?" Harry asked.

"They are. Why?"

He didn't answer. He walked as close to the cage as he dared and started hissing. "$Hello, big fire-breather. I'd like to be your friend.$"

The dragon stopped munching on the remains of a lamb and turned its head to Harry.

"$A speaker?$" it wondered. "$Why should I be interested?$" it added a bit later.

"$Maybe I can help you and we can both learn from each other,$" Harry replied, trying to sound more confident than he really was.

"$How can you help me?$" The dragon seemed to consider Harry's size and wasn't impressed by it.

"$I may be able to set you free, or at least make your conditions much better.$"

"$That would be appreciated. What do you want me to do?$"

"$I'm not sure yet. I've been entered into the tournament against my will, just as you have, and the first task is something concerning you and the other dragons here. Once I find out what it entails I'll be able to tell you and plan what to do.$"

"$I'll expect you in a few days,$" the Dragon said, sounding much friendlier.

"$It would help a lot if you pass this information to the others. I'll try to help you all.$"

"$I'll pass the information.$"

Sirius was already looking alarmed after seeing them so close to the dragons. He called them back and presented the four dragons from a safe distance, going over each species specific strong and weak points.

"Why are you telling me this?" Harry asked.

"Well, the first task is facing a dragon and retrieving a golden egg without harming the dragon or its eggs."

"How can one do it at all?"

"There are a few possibilities. You may make the dragon sleep or confuse it or just outrun it, to name some possibilities. It's not a walk in the park, but it can be done."

"Do the other champions know?" Harry asked.

"Nobody's supposed to tell them, but I'm sure both Karakoff and Madam Maxime will tell their champions, if they haven't done it already."

"That's practically cheating!" Hermione complained.

"Welcome to the real world!" Sirius bowed to her. "They all want to win and damn honesty. Only Dumbledore is still adhering to the rules, leaving his champion with a great disadvantage."

"We shall correct it!" both teens said.

The next day, Harry saw Cedric Diggory complaining to his girlfriend that it was impossible for him to prepare for a task he knew nothing about. Harry had an idea. He grabbed a parchment and drew on it a dragon and an egg. He then folded it and walked past Cedric, putting the folded parchment in his hand as he passed. Cedric looked surprised at the parchment, but then unfolded it and smiled. He looked around for Harry and mouthed silently "Thanks".

They visited the dragons that evening. Hermione first cast a privacy shield between the cages and the tents, so that nobody would notice them. They then removed the disillusionment charm and approached the dragons. Harry first introduced himself to the dragons. He then told them about the task and the champions. "$The instructions are clear: Don't harm the dragons or the eggs, yet these can't be enforced. Anybody who feels in danger may act inappropriately and harm you in haste or destroy one or more eggs.$"

"$What should we do then?$"

"$Check your nest once you are in the arena. Remove any egg you don't recognize, especially any golden ones. Only guard your own eggs, leaving the golden egg exposed and unprotected. You may even toss it at he champions, if you like.$"

A small fire escaped the dragon's snout. It was its way to lough. "$It would make it too easy for the champions. Shouldn't we try to show some fight, at least?$"

Harry scratched his head. Hermione answered instead. "$You can put the golden egg far from the champion and send a bit of fire seemingly in his direction, making sure to miss him. The champions would still need to dodge and seemingly fight to reach the eggs, but will stay away from your real eggs and not need to really fight you.$"

"$We shall play along as long as they keep to their part of the deal,$" the dragon promised.

The time had come. The champions were already in the tent, each already assigned a dragon. They were just waiting to be called out. Harry decided to update them. "Make sure not to harm the dragons or their eggs and they will just pretend to fight you, giving you the golden egg to fetch. Try to really fight them and you may not finish the task."

"How can you be so sure?" Krum asked him.

"I talked with them. Just pretend to hex them, missing them widely, and you'll get your egg in no time."

Krum wasn't convince. "They can burn us!"

"Not if you do as I say. They'll blow some fire, but not very close to you. Just be cautious, as I'm not sure they really know how fragile we may be."

It went fast enough, and before he had time to get bored, Harry was called to perform the task.

The Hungarian Horntail recognized him. "$Welcome, little one. The golden egg is at the opposite corner. What would you like me to do?$"

"$How about... I'll wave my wand and you'll pretend falling asleep, so I can run to the golden egg and take it. I'll make a sound when I'm back here so you'll get awake and blow fire at me, only I'll be out of range already.$"

"$Sounds good to me.$"

Harry started waving his wand, as if chanting a complex spell. The noise was too high for anybody to really hear him. The Dragon put its head sown and turned its snout away, winking at Harry as it did so. Harry rushed to the egg, put it in his robes and ran back. As he was moving behind the protecting rocks he seemed to stumble and squeak in fright. "$Now!$" he hissed at the dragon, who lifted its head and blew a fire at the place Harry had stood a few seconds earlier.

Only Krum was a bit singed, as he wasn't sure about the dragon and didn't move swiftly enough after taking his egg.

Harry and Hermione flew his broom and visited the dragons soon after dinner. "$Are these your real eggs?$" he asked the dragons.

Each checked and found they were just empty shells. They were starting to get furious, but Harry said quickly, "$I believe your real eggs are still at the reserve. They didn't want to chance anything happening to them. Now, if I set you free, you'll not be able to reach your eggs. Would that be acceptable?$"

There was a unanimous "$NO!$" response.

"$Well, I think I should talk with the keepers, then. I'll ask them not to bother you anymore and to make sure you get all the food that you and your young will need. Would that be acceptable?$"

The four dragons seemed a bit reluctant. "$We also need more space to stretch our wings and fly. Can you get this for us?$"

"$I'll try,$" he promised, before going to talk with Charley. The young man was surprised to see his visitors.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I've just had a conversation with the dragons." Harry told him then about the dragons' needs and worries and Charley promised he would do all that he could to give the dragons what they wanted. "I'll make sure to mark the boundaries of the reserve so that they can fly freely within it. They would be much easier to handle if they are satisfied."

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	26. Chapter 26 Yule Ball and Water Games

**26. Yule Ball and Water Games**

Life returned to normal after the first task. Well, almost. There was still the presence of the other schools, of course, and a new event clouded Harry's horizon – the Yule Ball, announced a short while after the first task.

Harry didn't fear the ball itself, yet – he would have to dance! Just the thought of moving in step with the music was frightening enough, but he would also have to make sure not to step on Hermione's feet. That was more than he could handle, or so he thought.

He wasn't the only boy to feel as if he had two left legs, though. Professor McGonagall decided to teach them all how to dance. She needed a partner for that, and with Hermione's permission (despite Harry's silent pleading) she chose Harry.

It wasn't so bad, really. In a way, it was easier than mastering some charms and more pleasant than dueling. The professor didn't take chances, though. Her shoes were protected with a strengthening charm to assure that even the heaviest student stepping on them would not be able to hurt her. After Harry's Judo training, moving in coordination with somebody else was quite natural and he found the music helpful in keeping him concentrated on the steps. Once he could practice with Hermione, he also enjoyed holding her close as he had not had a chance to do publicly before.

Despite the compliments from the professor, Hermione wasn't quite satisfied. Like always, she made a schedule for teaching Harry (and herself) dancing. They spent an hour each evening, just before going to bed, dancing in their apartment. She even rewarded Harry whenever he made progress in a way only she could legally do. Harry was finding that dancing with her was really nice. He soon started enjoying it regardless of the rewards, which he still liked much better.

"Who are you taking to the Ball?" he asked his friends one evening.

"I'm not sure," Ron answered.

"I thought you'll go with Lavender," Harry noted.

"We're not so close anymore," Ron admitted. "I may ask Luna, though."

"You should do it soon. Most girls already have dates for the ball," Hermione told him.

"I'm taking Hannah Abbot," Neville said, blushing deeply.

"The Hufflepuff?"

"Yes. She's been my friend since before I can remember, and she's kind of cute..."

"She's a very nice girl, really. I believe you'll both have good time at the ball," Hermione assured him.

"Who are you taking?" Ron asked Harry.

"Hermione, of course. Who else?"

Ron smirked. "There's more than one girl who'd be glad to go with you to the ball, or anywhere else, actually. And Hermione is also attracting some attention..."

Hermione blushed a little. "Yes, Viktor Krum saw me at the library and asked me to the ball. I told him I already had a date. He insisted, so I told him that my husband is always first. I then had to tell him about me and Harry. They don't seem to get the news there..."

Harry hugged her possessively. "And you're always first for me."

Luna was quite happy to accept Ron's reluctant invite. She then told Hermione, "I've had a crush on Ronald since I was nine, yet he only saw me as the little neighbor girl, nothing more. Maybe now I'll have a chance with him..."

"What are you going to wear?"

Luna looked dreamy again. "I'll wear something that will give him a lot to look at and even more to look forward to..."

Hermione looked skeptical. Unlike Lavender, Luna had small breasts and was small overall, not having much to either hide or reveal. Luna noticed. "Haven't you heard of push-up bras?" she asked innocently.

Hermione smiled broadly. "Ron doesn't know what he's up to..."

The girls started getting ready several hours before the ball, turning the Potter bedroom into a "girls only" area. Hermione made sure to leave Harry's garments intended for the ball in their common room, so Harry could get ready in the boys' dormitory. Hermione, Luna, Ginny and Lavender spent the time arranging their hair (which was especially difficult for Hermione), painting their nails, trying each-other's gowns, gossiping (even Hermione took part in it, surprising herself) and finally – getting dressed and fixing their makeups.

The boys were already getting bored of waiting when the girls finally opened the door. First to come out was Lavender, whose date was a Ravenclaw fifth year who would meet her at the entrance hall. She was wearing a low-cut light green gown, accentuating her bosom and her slim waist. Harry thought she was an impersonation of a seductress, although her insecure smile and sudden blush may not have fitted that image.

Ginny was next, wearing a pastel-blue dress with a moderate neckline, which still made Neville gasp and Ron frown. Her hair was cascading over her shoulders and she looked fiery and sweet. Harry thought that Dean was lucky to be her date.

Luna came next, surprising them all. Her hair was done in an elaborate bun, decorated with sparkles. Her eyes didn't seem to be accentuated while her lips were painted red, the same color as her strapless dress, which was showing just a hint of cleavage. Ron's eyes bulged and his jaw dropped as he saw her. She was no longer "Loony". She was a young and very attractive woman in her prime.

Hermione was last to come out, wearing a periwinkle dress with one strap only. It was quite modest, revealing no hint of her breasts, yet hugging her feminine form tightly, making all boys catch their breath. 'What a lucky guy,' they all thought about Harry, who was looking at his wife just as astounded.

All girls present at the ball seemed to want to dance with the champions, Harry included. Despite wanting only Hermione, Harry found himself dancing with many other girls, most of which he didn't even know. Fleur Delacour, the French champion, also danced with him. He noticed some close-by boys who started drooling just seeing her. He thought she was quite nice, although she was wearing a way too revealing dress, yet his eyes were following Hermione, who was dancing with the Bulgarian champion at that moment. Fleur seemed quite bewildered, noticing her charms had no effect on Harry.

Later that night, after going back to their apartment and kissing with no interruption for a few minutes, Hermione told Harry: "Fleur asked me if it was OK to dance with you. She said that true love would be immune to her thrall. She later told me that she used her fully powered thrall while dancing with you. Most boys nearby, and even farther away were strongly affected by it, yet you were only searching for me with your eyes, totally oblivious to her magic. I believe this needs to be properly rewarded."

She unzipped her dress and let it fall, followed by her under-garments. "Don't you want your reward now?" she asked seductively, noticing that Harry didn't move. He was just staring at her.

"Just seeing you like this is reward enough," he said, "although I like the additional reward as well."

They rewarded each other for another hour before falling asleep, sated and tired, with smiles on their faces.

With the winter festivities over, Harry put his mind back to the tournament. The clue in the egg alluded him. The awful screeching noise that he heard whenever he tried opening the egg was unintelligible. It was Cedric who helped him this time.

"Just take the egg to the bath with you," he suggested. "Do you want to use the prefects' bathroom?"

"I believe the bathroom in our apartment is big enough, but thanks for the offer."

That evening he listened to the message in the egg along with Hermione.

"What could they take that I'd sorely miss?" he wondered.

"I don't think they would take an object. It would probably be a person," Hermione noted.

"I won't allow them to take you. If they do – that's reason enough for a blood feud. I'll inform Dumbledore clearly that whatever they do, you are to be kept out of the tournament."

Dumbledore didn't see things his way, but just mentioning that any attempt to kidnap a member of an ancient family is cause enough for a feud made the headmaster reconsider. Eventually he agreed. "Hermione will stay safe and dry, but you'll still have a hostage to rescue, as the clue suggests. You must know that the hostages will not be in any danger even if not rescued. They will be returned unharmed a short while after the end of the task."

"It doesn't matter. Hermione should be kept out of it, or else..."

"I'll make sure of that. I promise."

Harry was content that Hermione was out of danger, only Hermione didn't feel so pleased. "They'll put somebody else in there. Who could it be?"

"One of our friends, probably," Harry shrugged.

"Ron!" Hermione exclaimed. "He has been your closest friend since you started Hogwarts. We should warn him!"

"That would serve nothing. The Headmaster said nobody will be in real danger and even unrescued hostages will be returned unharmed shortly after the task finishes."

"I hope he can assure it," Hermione said darkly.

Harry continued training with Sirius, although it didn't really help him with the second task. "I don't need any special charms this time, but I need to breathe under water for about an hour and keep myself from freezing, as the weather will still be very cold," he told Sirius.

Sirius tried teaching Harry the bubble-head charm. Harry had no problem executing it, but it could not keep him warm, and most warming charms were useless in the water.

Surprisingly, it was Neville who came with a good idea. "Why don't you use the gillyweed? It will give you gills and web your fingers for swimming under water and adjust your eyesight as well. I believe it will also make you less sensible to the cold, although that is not very clear from the text in the book."

Harry didn't know anything about it, but Sirius's face brightened. "That's exactly what we need! Why didn't I think of that before?"

With that problem tackled, Harry didn't think much of the task until its day came. He reached the platform where the champions assembled before diving into the lake feeling quite sure of himself, yet he forced himself to frown worriedly, as if he wasn't sure of his performance. He also reminded himself of how he was forced to participate, deepening his frown. Yet he was touching the gillyweed in his pocket and feeling quite sure of the task.

All champions seemed to be lightly dressed under the heavy winter cloaks, ready to disrobe when the signal would be given. It looked like they all used some warming charms as well, although Fleur seemed to be shivering despite her fur coat and the warming charm. Harry didn't know if it was of cold or of fear. He used his wandless abilities to cast another warming charm on her, gaining a thankful, although quite nervous, smile from the beautiful blonde.

Soon they all disrobed as the signal was given. Harry chewed his gillyweed, making sure he had some left in his swimsuit pocket, while watching the others. Cedric and Fleur used bubble-head charms before diving, Fleur, clad only in a skimpy swimsuit, attracted all males even more than usual while Cedric attracted almost as much female attention. Viktor Krum was secretive, as usual, jumping into the frigid water before casting any spell, so nobody could see what he was doing. Harry waited for the gillyweed to start affecting him before jumping into the water, shivering lightly for a few seconds until his body adjusted and felt more comfortable.

Although he could see quite well underwater, not needing his glasses, the water was too murky to see much. Instead, his hearing seemed to become much more acute. He could identify, by sound only, the exact trajectory of each champion and it became immediately clear that Fleur was in the wrong direction and was heading for trouble. As he was quite sure that the hostages would be safe, he decided to help Fleur and started swimming in her direction.

When he saw her, she was fighting unsuccessfully a bunch of grindylows. They had already hurt her a bit with their sharp claws and she was unable to fight them effectively as her hand was numb from the freezing water, unable to move her wand as needed, barely able to hold her wand at all. Harry sent several stunners at the attacking creatures, making them back up. He then sent a few warming charms at Fleur. Although much less efficient in the water, Harry put enough power in his charms to make Fleur feel the effect, gaining more control of her wand. She sent a few stunners and some cutting curses at the retreating grindylows. Once sure they would not return, she smiled thankfully at Harry and pointed down. Harry pointed towards the place where he could hear some faint singing coming from, similar to the voices he had heard from the egg. She nodded understandingly and started swimming in that direction, with Harry staying a bit behind her, just to keep her safe.

The rest was easy. As his hearing proved to be the best means for navigation, they arrived at the hostages before the other two champions. Fleur took her sister tenderly and started her ascent. Harry released Ron but waited until he saw the two other champions approaching before grabbing Ron and moving quickly to the surface, bypassing Fleur. Harry deposited Ron on the platform while he stayed still in the water, waiting for the gillyweed to wear off, so he could breath air again. The other champions arrived shortly after, just seconds apart from each other.

Hermione was already waiting for him on the platform, but this didn't stop Fleur from hugging him tightly and kissing both his cheeks as soon as he came there. "Thank you, Harry. If it wasn't for you, I could have died there. I'll never forget this!"

They were surprised when little Gabrielle hugged Harry just as fiercely. "Zank you for zaving my zizter," she said, kissing his cheeks just like her sister.

"Should I be jealous now?" Hermione asked when she could finally approach him.

"Never!" he said, kissing her for all his worth, not paying any heed to the whistles and cries from the audience.

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